Deulofeu: “This is the best moment of my career one hundred percent”

The Udinese was unstoppable at the start of the campaign: four wins, including a resounding 4-0 in Rome of Jose Mourinhothey put him fourth at the table, at the front Inter, Rome, Lazio or Juventus. And one of the perpetrators of this explosion, no doubt, are the Spanish Gerard Deulofeuthat in one interview with EFE He reviews the start of this season as what he considers the “best moment” of his career.

Deulofeu (Girona, 1994) is living a sweet moment in the city of Udine with his family, his pillar, and in a club where he feels “very happy”. The former player of Barcelona, ​​​​​​​​Seville or Milan He also mentioned his personal transformation, which led him to become a “professional football player in millimetres”, of a possible exit from the previous transfer market, of success and of Barcelona, ​​​​​​​​issue.

QUESTION: Great moment from Udinese. Four straight wins and just one loss in six games. How is the dressing room today?

RESPONSE: A magical moment. When you win and you have the winning feeling that you have here (your fist is clenched), and you don’t want anyone to take it from you, it’s a very good moment to give it a lot of value and continue to grow as a group, which creates a very winning mentality, because it can. We are a team with very strong individuals and need to create a strong mindset, we are doing well and we can continue. We value this moment and these achievements, which are not easy. Winning a match in Serie A is very complicated.

Q: What are the team’s goals for the season?

A: No goals, no ranking, because that has no consequence. The most important thing is to create a mentality among young players there, with players who play less and with experienced players who can give strength to the team. That’s what drives us to achieve results: the mindset. Running for your teammate, being stronger than your rival, being better than him, in the end that’s the goal of every weekend. This will take us to see the classification or see the results later, at the end of the season.

Q: He came from scoring thirteen goals last season, as one of Udinese’s undisputed leaders in green. Do you think this is the best moment of your career?

A: One hundred percent the best moment of my career. First because I know what is happening to me and why; and, secondly, because I enjoy it so much.

Last season was very good on an individual level. I came back from an injury, a lot of goals, assists… But I think a player can go to another level, lead your team to create that mentality and win every weekend. Goals take a backseat when, from your position as an experienced player, as a leader in attack, as a player noticed by your teammates, you can start creating that bubble that will lead to you a step higher. Then comes the goals, the first thing is for the team to win. That’s why it’s one of the best moments.

Q: What do you mean by “I know what’s happening to me and why”?

A: I mean my personal and professional life are both aligned, and that’s why I know what’s going on with me. During the week I prepare and approach the fight incredibly, and then when what happened at the weekend and it happened for a year and a half, I think I’m at a very strong level, I know why this is happening to me. Because I focus on the game during the week, both on a personal level, with my children or my partner, from the love I have at home, that I bring to the game; and then also, of course, to everything that involves the preparation of the game: rest, food… Being a boy who goes to millimeter for the weekend.

Q: The market discussed a possible exit. Naples seems to be his new destination.

A: Yes, it’s true. I was about to leave, but I understood one thing. Before, I was a winger with a lot of conditions, with a lot of quality, and I became a midfielder who understood football from the inside. Regarding the market, I don’t want to be the Gerard of before and return to an external position, so either a team comes to my conditions, which I think will be Gerard in the next four or five years, or I’m not will come out. I prioritized that over everything else. And I also put forward that I am happy at Udinese. I’m in no rush to go anywhere. I was close, it didn’t happen but I was very calm and happy to continue where I was.

Not only did I have the option of Napoli, there were several teams. We were talking to a few but the conditions we wanted with the club didn’t happen.

Q: Do you now consider yourself a leader in the locker room?

A: Yes, I consider myself one of the leaders of the Udinese dressing room, one hundred percent. I am a player who, fortunately, has enjoyed many experiences in many important countries and locker rooms, and what I do now is to pass on to my teammates all that I have experienced. Bring this winning mentality to this team. Of course my quality and others will come out.

Q: It seems that Serie A is the league where he has adapted best. Why do you think this happened?

A: Serie A is what I enjoy the most because my seasons at Milan and Udinese were the best of my career, or some years at Watford or Everton. I enjoyed all sides, I remember one season in Seville and another, at the beginning, in Barcelona. But yes, in the long term, especially I’ve done it in Milan and Udinese.

Granted it’s in Serie A, but the Premier is my favorite league. I think it’s the best in terms of passion, organization… it’s a scandal.

In Milan I was very happy for the group I was joining, for the birth of my first daughter; And now I am very happy at Udinese, with an organized family, aligned with love, and in football being professional to the millimeter. I’m enjoying where I am, I think that’s the key to my transformation. Accepting the team I’m on and wanting to be on the team I’m on.

The most important thing to achieve success is to want to be where you are and live each day happily. That will lead you to success.

Q: The season will inevitably be marked by a break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Do you think this will affect Udinese’s form?

A: No, it will not affect. From the last game we play before the World Cup to the next one when it’s over, the coach, the coaching staff, and the players will make sure it doesn’t affect us and nobody relaxes even an inch.

Because the training we push, no one can relax, because what happens is that the weekend you don’t do another race and it shows in the results. We will squeeze from the first day to the end of the season.

Q: The new coach, Andrea Sottil, seems to have hit the tactical key to be solid in defense without losing the offensive spirit that characterized Udinese last season. How does it work with him?

A: He has been a brilliant coach. He has come in and managed to leave behind some things that worked so well in the last episode of last season. In addition, he became a coach who added a lot of motivation and pushed a lot in training. He knows very well that we are a team that has to push, run like crazy and for our teammates, otherwise we don’t have a chance to face a certain level of rivals and that’s what we do. We are very happy with your arrival.

Q: Does it give you more freedom? What would you ask him in the field?

A: Total freedom. He asks me some aspects, but well, I know very well what my teammates and my coach want for everything I’ve been in football. I also know that the defensive work I do is key for the team and I will continue it because the team is helped a lot by a midfielder who contributes a lot in defense, but is also very dangerous in attack. .

That causes problems for the rival team on both sides. The first, that he cannot play with his midfielder, who organizes the game; and then we went to counterattack in a very good way. I can do it because physically I feel that I am beautiful.

Q: This year you lost Nahuel Molina -signed by Atlético de Madrid- in the right lane, with whom you formed a good partnership last year.

A: In football there are little partners on the pitch and it’s amazing to have that connection. Nahuel and I had fun, I remember that in the second part of the season we combined on the right wing and did a lot of damage to the rivals.

This year I have it with Beto and with ‘Tucu’ (Roberto Pereyra). Quality players but understand that they are leaders and have to push the team, knowing that not everything is attack or quality, but showing the team that we are an example of defense.

Q: What are your short-term goals?

A: I don’t want to go anywhere. What I’ve learned is that it’s so nice to live in a place where you’re happy, that you can’t imagine what’s going to happen. The first of all to know how to perform, and have the emotional stress that we talk about so much and relax, is to love your club, give everything and not think more.

From there it is clear that I am a very demanding player, of myself and of my team, and I want to be as high as possible and score as much as possible. That will come if every Sunday we run like lions, beyond the enemy.

Q: How did the market and the current situation of Barcelona come to life?

A: I am very happy for those who have arrived in Barcelona, ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ me and of course everyone We saw that last year was a year of transition, but this year, because of how the team was signed and how the team is working, I sincerely believe that it will not be a year of transition .

Barça will fight for everything. They have leaders, players of a stratospheric level and I am very happy because Barça will fight it out again both in the league and in Europe.

Q: Would you like to receive a call-up to the national team again at some point?

A: The choice is the best, but I know very well that there is truth. I haven’t been for a long time, I find it as complicated as there is a lot of competition, but you already know that I am a very demanding player with a lot of hope. At the moment I am happy with my club, although there is hope to reach the top, because going to represent your country is the best.