Barcelona opponent: Messi can only be stopped by fouling, Yamal has not yet reached this level

Daniel Garcia ended his career at Athletic Bilbao a few seasons ago and decided to try the passionate Greek football. He will play with the team against Barcelona tonight and will also face Real Madrid a month later. The Olympiacos midfielder also accepted an interview with AS by phone.

Have a good time in Athens?

Very happy. We found a very nice city to live in and Olympiacos is the biggest club in Greece. We decided to start a new journey. Now I live here with my one-year-old daughter. Of course, family will always be missed and distance is also an issue, wishing it could be closer.

But you have a familiar face on the coaching bench. Did you consult Mendiliba (Olympiacos coach) before going?

Of course. When you decide to start a new phase, you gather as much information as possible. Mendiliba is my friend, but in football I am just an ordinary player.

Valverde is also famous there.

Yes, both of them left a deep mark on Athens.

What kind of Olympiacos will we see on Tuesday at Montjuïc Stadium? Will there be big changes when facing Barcelona?

You're going to see a team with Mendiliba's stamp on it, and anyone who's familiar with him knows that. This team never takes chances and always looks forward.

Two years ago, Olympiacos won the Youth League Championship. It shows you have some good young players.

When you come here, you will find that their youth training system is also very good, with some interesting players. This summer, Brighton signed Kostras for 40 million euros. We also have a midfielder, Muzakitis, who also has great potential. He was one of the key players in Olympiacos' youth league championship win.

How do you feel against Barcelona and Real Madrid?

Honestly, I said to my wife when the draw came out that I was a bit tired playing against Barcelona and Real Madrid... but here it is obviously a big thing.

Maybe you would rather play against Athletic Bilbao.

Especially I hope they can come here and experience the atmosphere of Kaliskakis Stadium. Like San Mamés, this is a place that loves football. The fans here are very enthusiastic and there will be good interaction between the fans of the two teams.

One of the many games against Barcelona was a defeat to them in the Super Cup at the Estadio Cartuja in Seville, resulting in Messi being sent off for the first time in 753 games.

Messi can only be stopped by fouling...but I was not involved in that red card incident.

What are your memories of those games?

Always remember the good parts. There were some really tough games, but we also won the Super Cup, eliminated them in the Copa del Rey with San Mames and beat them 1-0 in the league with Aduriz's goal.

Athletic Bilbao, great memories and a family.

Every chance they get, they get together. We have a meeting place in Bilbao. It was difficult for me to attend due to the distance. But it symbolizes the friendship and affection within that team.

You knew you were leaving, so you chose to let the fans bid farewell to Raul Garcia and Muniain instead of holding a farewell ceremony for yourself.

I don't need that. I have already made my decision because Athletic Bilbao did not give me a call to renew my contract. When I saw this situation, I made a decision in advance. That day was to say goodbye to legends like Raul Garcia and Muniain.

As a supporter of Athletic Bilbao, what does it mean for Nico Williams to stay at the club? He might have played against him tonight, but he chose to stay at Biba.

Nico's decision is very important for Biba's future and sends a strong message to young players. Maybe it can’t be seen from the outside, but Athletic Bilbao is a very important team in Bilbao. Nico's stay in the team has inspired children who dream of one day playing for Athletic Bilbao.

You said that Messi can only be stopped through fouls. Do you think Yamal can reach that level?

Not yet, and I don't think it helps to compare him to Messi. He was just starting his career.

There is a lot of talk about Yamal, especially off the court. Is it too much?

You only have to believe half of what he says. He needs someone around him to protect him and give him good advice. He is already a world-class player.

How do you see the end of your career?

I still train with the same enthusiasm and passion. I can’t see the end, but sometimes I imagine myself becoming a coach and sometimes I don’t feel interested. I love football, but it's a complicated world. I missed a lot of moments with friends, like their weddings. And family, they endured a lot while I was away. You rarely see them, five days of training, then another five days... At the moment we are happy here, but when the time comes we will think about everything.

Do you like Barcelona coached by Flick?

They played very attractive offensive football last season. I think they are still very strong.

What kind of Olympiacos do you want to see in Barcelona?

A team that can compete, just like the day against Arsenal. Although we lost the game 0-2 in the end, we performed well throughout the game. This is a team with Mendiliba’s stamp on it and we will give it our all.

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