Oriol Romeu’s 1×1 Premier: "

Oriol Romeu (30 years old) has been playing in the Premier League since 2011. First at Chelsea (from 2011 to 2013) and then at Southampton (from 2015 and with a contract until 2023). This young Barça midfielder, with a profile in the first team, has accumulated so much experience in England that he has been able to face those who have come from there to Camp Nou (Adama, ‘Auba’ and Ferran) as well as those who may come ( Azpilicueta, Christensen, Salah or Raphinha). And so is Coutinho.

Since 2015 in the Premier League

There are already a few. It has rain and a perfect climate for training. With a different culture and mentality. It suited me very well, I felt like I was at home and, in addition, I thoroughly enjoyed football.

A very demanding league

I’m accumulating higher numbers and I’ve been at a very good level for a season and a half and I’m satisfied with how I’m playing and you always want to extend it as much as possible.

Is Southampton your dream team?

Yes, definitely. During the years I have been here, in how they have treated me, this has been the club where I have felt most comfortable, loved, valued and most respected, and where I have performed at my best level.

Will it end in 2023? Will there be a renewal?

Seems like everything in the club. They always tell me well and rely on me. words of appreciation I feel I have value, but it depends on how I feel. For now I want to continue competing at this level

What do you know about Chelsea?

Little did I know, there was an Azpilicueta I had spoken to before. But not on the subject. What I read, very up-to-date, they give them options to sell. For these players it creates instability, insecurity about the future, although since it is a strong club, in the situation it has been in recent years, they will find a buyer who will return them. in normalcy.

Azpilicueta coached Barça

Is a good player. A worker, always there for the needs of the team. He can play in different positions, he has the baggage and experience, he has captained the Champions League finals and won them. He played in the Premiers Leagues as Left Back, as Right Center Back and as Right Back. It is very versatile. Any big team in Europe wants to get him.

They shared a year of dressing room

We have a lot of love and appreciation for each other. We usually have contact. He was a good man. When you find people like that, ask them for the best.

Is Christensen a profile on Barça?

He is a player with a lot of touch, a lot of quality. I remember that, when I was at Chelsea, I went up to train because I was in a subsidiary and you saw that his touch on the ball was different, calmer, with that vision to find a pass beyond a typical central defender. He played at a high level in Germany and on his return to Chelsea he was very reliable, physically he was not strong. Perhaps it suits Barca’s style of football better than Chelsea’s. If at Chelsea he performed at a good level, at Barça he was even better.

Salah also sounds if Haaland doesn’t come

He’s a very good player, I can’t find anything but he’s out of balance, he’s good at attacking in spaces. In Liverpool it is a different style than in Barça. Attacking low-block defenses I haven’t seen much, players like him and Mané really want to go into spaces. They are fast at the counter and they are there at their best. With the low block attacking two lines of four, it’s something they see. He has quality and can adapt, because good players are the same

How do you see Aubameyang already in Barça?

I thought he was one of those players who just goes into spaces and now I see him at Barça and he plays at a great level

Were you surprised that Barça were watching the Premier League?

I think they saw that they were well -adapted players, that took the philosophy fast and that makes them not afraid to go to this League to sign players. Premier is now on a level above others and you can bring in players who can gain experience, you have more chances to succeed

And there’s Raphinha, from Leeds

I was not surprised, his level of play was very good. He has been the benchmark player for Leeds. He has a one on one, pure winger that Barça wants, he can play on both wings, not balanced … An interesting player

They will come from three other Premier signings, ‘Auba, Adama and Ferran Torres

In hindsight I was no longer surprised. Neither Adama nor Ferran were very involved with their teams and they ended up with an entire Barça. Seeing them performing well, scoring goals, being beginners. They are players whose reality of not playing has not affected them. Barça became smart because he knew there was potential behind it. That if they are given a good environment, they can perform. Sometimes those moves don’t work, and Barça have done well in part because of the good decisions they made.

Coutinho is the opposite of the case.

Fun, depending on the environment, at the moment, on the coach. When Coutinho arrived, Barça were in the process of changes, they didn’t know where they would play and that creates more doubts that it didn’t help to perform at a good level.

The difference is due to Xavi

Xavi has helped a lot in this sense, very well adapted in a very short time

He was able to return to Barça, rumored on his return

Sometimes gossips get to me. Barça are the best of the best and massive players competing, but it’s not up to me. I always tried to compete fully. I enjoyed how I acted. Whether he loves you or a club or something, we have nothing to say

Barça know how to get young players. Gavi, Nico, Pedri …

Surprisingly, they are interesting players with the ability to deal with this situation, they are a reality, they are not an expectation, they are a real performance. It is very worth what they do. There’s Pedri’s case and after all he’s played, he’s competing at the level he’s up against. It’s curious to see young players with such maturity and cold blood. I have experienced a similar thing and it is not easy to manage these expectations and perform at that level. They are players who, if all goes well, follow this line, they can dominate football for years to come.

Barça turned away

Can’t imagine what’s going on. Now that he has been asked to win the league, the reality of such a radical change is positive. It has many merits. This year it can serve as a transition and next year, compete for all competitions.

And in Busquets as usual at a very high level

He was a player who was at a very high level for many years, when Barça were not good, he could not perform at his best level. Busi is a team player who needs the environment to be orderly in order to perform. He doesn’t lose the ball, he’s always at level eight or nine, there’s never been a better midfielder than him in years, he’s impressive.