Eric Garcia Talks Flick, Lamine, Cubarsi, Inigo, Rashford, Olmo, Fermin, Dro, Injuries

Eric Garcia’s journey to discovering his place at Barcelona has been something however easy. At simply 17, he left La Masia for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester Metropolis after feeling undervalued.

When he returned, as a free agent in 2021, he confronted criticism and finally selected to go on mortgage to Girona in the course of the 2023/24 season to rebuild his confidence.

Now, Garcia is a necessary a part of Hansi Flick’s Barcelona and has been one of many group’s most dependable performers in 2025.

The 24-year-old versatile defender sat down for an intensive interview with SPORT, throughout which he mentioned varied matters, together with his contract renewal and mortgage stint with Girona.

On current losses

Kicking issues off, although, Garcia opened up on Barcelona’s back-to-back losses towards PSG and Sevilla earlier than the worldwide window, stating that the break arrived at an opportune second for the group.

“It’s good to disconnect and relaxation, however I’m already trying ahead to taking part in once more,” he admitted.

Reflecting on these defeats, he remained measured in his response, saying: “Within the recreation towards PSG, we struggled within the second half, we ran an excessive amount of after the ball and that all the time finally ends up taking its toll, they scored towards us within the final minute.

“In Seville, these are issues that may occur in soccer. I believe we had two clear possibilities within the second half, and if that they had gone in, we’d be speaking about one other comeback.

“If we have a look at it objectively, within the ninetieth minute, we had been 2-1 up. There’s no must dramatise it.”

Garcia additional insisted that there is no such thing as a trigger for alarm regardless of the losses, noting: “We all know what we have to enhance, our rivals know us higher, and so they know what we need to do.

“I’m a kind of who thinks that if we carry out on the stage we must be at, it’s very troublesome for a rival to beat us.”

On Flick’s message, high-line techniques

After the draw towards Rayo Vallecano in August, supervisor Hansi Flick had despatched a pointed message to the gamers, saying ‘Egos kill success.’ When requested to elaborate on what the supervisor meant by that, Eric stated:

“I believe we’re coming off a season the place we gained three titles, and really feel like we will win once more based mostly on what we did final 12 months, however our opponents are bettering and know us higher.

“I don’t suppose it’s a direct message to the dressing room. I believe we all know that we’ve sufficient high quality, with the signings we’ve made, to match or exceed final 12 months’s efficiency.”

The current losses have additionally introduced quite a lot of give attention to Barcelona’s excessive line of defense techniques and the group’s urgent – with Pau Cubarsi suggesting that the forwards weren’t doing sufficient. On being requested for his ideas, Eric defined:

“Our stress begins with the forwards, however we’ve several types of forwards. Raphinha helps us quite a bit with stress and he hasn’t been with us for just a few weeks as a consequence of harm, however it’s a bit like what I stated.

“Our opponents harm us extra with runs from the second line, they exploit the area. It’s one thing we’re already engaged on, however I’ll return to what I stated earlier than. We’ve had two defeats and all the things is being dramatised.”

The defender insisted that issues had been ‘being blown out of proportion’ as a consequence of current outcomes, stating that Barcelona had managed to maintain clear sheets towards Getafe and Valencia, and had stored Newcastle United out till the final minute.

Commenting on the high-intensity type of the group below Flick and whether or not it causes him to ‘lose sleep’ prefer it did with Inigo Martinez, Garcia replied:

“[Smiles]. Sure, I sleep. It’s dangerous should you don’t do it proper, however that’s the trick. If we do it proper, most of our opponents fall into an offside entice as a result of they rush into it. They see a lot area that they know they must put the ball there, however they do it too rapidly.

“We all know we’ve to maintain bettering as a result of our opponents are discovering methods to counter it. It’s a method of taking part in that, on the whole, isn’t working effectively.”

On Inigo and Cubarsi

The departure of Inigo has left a void at Barcelona and Eric, too, admitted that he missed having the veteran defender within the squad, saying:

“He’s a really charismatic one who helps quite a bit within the dressing room and is a frontrunner on the pitch. Clearly, you miss folks like that.”

On whether or not he sees himself as one in every of Barcelona’s defensive leaders now that Inigo is not within the group, the Spaniard stated:

“It’s one thing I’m doing an increasing number of, and I’ve been informed that folks see me as able to doing it. I believe I can do it, and having had Inigo round and seen how he did it, he’s somebody I can look as much as. And if I may also help the group that method, I’m delighted.”

Garcia then opened up on his partnership and understanding with Pau Cubarsi, saying: “With Cubarsi, we’re fortunate to have performed within the Olympics collectively, in each match. We perceive one another virtually with out talking.

“It’s true that we might not be the 2 tallest centre-backs, however should you have a look at the instance of Mascherano when he was right here at Barça, the efficiency he gave, these days there are a lot of centre-backs who aren’t that tall.

“On the finish of the day, you play for a membership like Barça, the place you’re going to have 70% possession, so clearly the opposite 30% that you simply don’t have is harmful since you expose your self to one thing, which is leaving area behind you, however I believe that’s why we’re defenders, to be there in these moments.”

On Rashford, Lamine, and others

Garcia additionally mentioned Barcelona’s summer season signing Marcus Rashford and what challenges the Manchester United loanee can face, having himself skilled Premier League soccer prior to now.

“I believe that within the Premier League the matches are extra open, extra backwards and forwards, there might be more room for the forwards, right here the opponents will look forward to us just a little additional again, there gained’t be as a lot area behind,” defined the 24-year-old.

“He’s a participant who has this explosiveness, this potential to get into area. I believe that’s one thing that adjustments a bit from what he had there, and he’s displaying that he’s additionally very harmful one-on-one.

“He may also help us in lots of positions and is a vital participant. He has this versatility to play left wing, ahead, proper wing, which is essential in a membership.”

On Barcelona’s largest attacking risk, Lamine Yamal, and if he had a components to cease him in coaching periods, Eric said:

“Effectively, it’s troublesome, very troublesome. He has expertise, high quality… Clearly, there’s Messi after which there’s him. I believe he has qualities which are very comparable, though I’m not going to say he’s like Messi as a result of, on the finish of the day, there’s just one Messi.”

Relating to the emergence of Pedro Fernandez ‘Dro’ from La Masia this season, he remarked:

“He’s a participant who turns very effectively between the strains and makes use of each legs very effectively. Wow, personally, as a lad born in 2008, I believe he’s… He’s actually stunned me.

“Dani is injured, Fermin is getting back from harm… I believe he’ll get alternatives and we’ll see the innate expertise that solely sure gamers have.”

Relating to the variety of accidents Barcelona have had this season, the Spaniard stated: “I couldn’t say. Finally, Olmo’s harm, nonetheless minor, occurred outdoors the membership, and Lewandowski’s occurred outdoors the membership.

“Gavi has a knee downside, Joan too. I believe these are issues which are past our management. I imply, anybody can endure a knee harm, whether or not in coaching or taking part in. These are accidents to gamers who’re necessary to us, however the season could be very lengthy.

“I believe we’ve sufficient gamers to compete effectively and as we get the injured gamers again, we are going to develop stronger.”

Eric additionally had quite a lot of optimistic phrases to say about Ansu Fati, who has been excelling on mortgage at AS Monaco this season.

“He deserves it a lot. I spoke to him the opposite day and congratulated him. Ansu wanted a little bit of what I did after I went to Girona, to have that consistency, that confidence, to get minutes, to play quite a bit,” he stated.

“We’re not going to find Ansu or say that we’ve now seen that he has quite a lot of high quality and that he scores quite a lot of targets as a result of he’s all the time had that.”

Lastly, when requested to call probably the most underrated participant within the Barcelona squad, Eric replied:

“Wow! I believe perhaps… Frenkie could possibly be there, and I believe the 2 attacking midfielders, each Fermin and Dani. They’re gamers who, when we’ve them each taking part in effectively, make an enormous distinction.

‘They’re two gamers who rating targets, who offer you assists, who work laborious. Dani can even play as a false 9, and so they can play collectively. I believe they’re two gamers who’re crucial to our group.”