Aymeric Laporte (5-27-1994, Agen, France) has been playing for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia since last August, with whom he already has 21 games (two goals and one assist). He went there in search of a new experience and, also, he does not deny it, motivated by the large contracts that are offered there these days. However, the centre-back, a 26-time Spanish international, discovers in this talk that not everything he shines in Arabia is gold. The former Athletic Club (222 games) and Manchester City (180) footballer, champion of everything at club level, spoke to AS by phone before traveling to China to play a couple of friendlies, while the competition is stopped due to the Asia Cup.
-If you like, Aymeric, let’s start. Since Spanish football has been in Riyadh for a week with the Spanish Super Cup, and we have seen everything that is going on around Saudi football, how was your stay there during these months that you have been at Al Nassr? It must be a cultural shock. What feelings do you have?
-Let’s see, you’re fine… It’s a big change compared to Europe, but in the end it’s all adaptation. They haven’t made it easy for us. In fact, there are many players who are dissatisfied, but hey; We are working on it every day, negotiating so to speak, and seeing if it improves a little because this is something new for them too, having European players who already have a long career. Maybe they are not used to this and have to adapt to a little more seriousness.
-What else are you missing? They do not have elite team conditions. Is it a matter of personal comforts, facilities, training? Where do you notice the lack of preparation?
-In every sense, but also in everyday life. Life for them… they take everything lightly. The ultimatum you can give them doesn’t matter to them. I mean, they’re really going about their business. You negotiate something and then they don’t accept it after you have signed it. They fight you… It’s a bit of a bummer that in Europe I don’t know… Of course, the same thing that they take away from you in that they give you in other aspects.
“They take everything lightly; “They really go to their task”
Review
-In other words, it is surprising you in a bad way.
-I speak from my own experience and I don’t know what others’ experience is like. For my part, what I have seen is that they try to bring you in, but then there is the day to day life and that is different.
-On your team there are players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Ospina, Mané, Brozovic… Do you feel something like in Arabia they fight for the toy but then when they have it they no longer take care of it?
-Yes, they take care of us, but not enough for my taste. That is to say, in Europe they pay you a good salary, but they take better care of you.
-Has this made you think about your signing and a possible exit? He has spoken to me in terms of ultimatums and leaving him.
-No, let’s see. At the moment, I haven’t thought about it, but if I’m disappointed in such a short time, you wonder what to do. That moment has not yet arrived, but in the future it could be if this dynamic continues.
-Do they talk about this in the locker room?
-To be honest, many of us have also come here not only for football. Many of us are happy with that, but I am also looking for something beyond that is not the economic part and such. In terms of quality of life, I expected something different because in the end here you spend three hours a day in the car. Riyadh is a waste of traffic, of time wasted in the car.
“You negotiate something and then they don’t accept it after you sign it”
Promises
-We were able to verify something last week in Riyadh. It’s an exhausting city, isn’t it?
-It has very good points and many other bad ones. The shopping centers are truly spectacular. They take good care of the details, they have many things for the kids, everything is clean. But I already told you. If you have to go somewhere and you have to spend an hour and a half in the car, you don’t even want to go there. Traffic is a negative point.
-Lluís Cortés, former Barça women’s coach and current Saudi Arabia women’s coach, lives in a compound close to Mancini, Yaya Touré, Bono… Is that where you live too? Does it get along or is it a golden cage?
-Yes, I also live in a compound. The thing is that we are almost never here, because we play games every three days and it is exhausting. I would say it’s more exhausting than boring. There are many games played and very close together, and that doesn’t allow you to rest too much. Between that and then you go to the National Team and they don’t give you days off and such, mentally and physically it is complicated, even if the pace is different or somewhat lower. It’s something hard. We play the Cup, the Saudi League, the Asian Champions…
-You have already said that you do not only look at the economic part. You are 29 years old and still have many things to say on the pitch. And there is a European Championship in five months. He will have her in focus…
-Obviously. This whole situation does not mean that he has continued to go with the National Team. I am giving a good level in Arabia, pushing myself to the maximum to reach the National Team in the best conditions to compete and show that I still have my position and that I hope it will be for many years.
-He did not go to the last call in Spain.
-Yes, I cut my foot, I had some stitches and so on, and I didn’t go.
-But he is recovered.
-Yeah.
-What was it like playing with Le Normand; Did it work well in the Nations?
-Yes, it is true that in the first game he was a little nervous and it showed. He made a penalty and so on. But as a result of that, we started talking a little more, we had a little more work together and we were able to adapt better. He saw the results.
-Did you finally feel good with him?
-Yes Yes. We talked and everything went very well. But just like with Le Normand, with everyone. With Nacho or with anyone else it has also gone very well. They are comfortable in Spain despite the criticism that may fall on the players at certain times. As a group, in Spain we are very good.
“I am very comfortable; As a group, in Spain we are very good”
Selection
-From Luis Enrique he went to De la Fuente. Have you noticed differences?
-Let’s see, they are different coaches, but the truth is that both have bet on me. Both of them have always transmitted their trust to me and I thank them for it. I am happy in the National Team with Luis Enrique and with De la Fuente. For my part, I am doing everything possible to give the highest level. That they have seen me as a reference is important to me.
-How do you see the Euro Cup, can the National Team be considered a favorite or are England and France, two teams that you know well, ahead?
-I see her very well. We have won the last Nations League and we look good. The issue is that not all games can be won, because everything is not a straight line. There are zig-zags, everyone wants to win. England, Portugal, France… They have crazy teams, honestly.
-In Manchester he has played with Rodri for a long time. Did you expect that, beyond the backbone that exists in the National Team, he would become a natural leader?
-Yeah. In my first year at Manchester City, he wasn’t there, but he was a totally different player when he arrived. He can say it himself. When he arrived, Rodri didn’t even know where to place himself and today he is the best in the world in that position. Also, he has helped me a lot. We understand each other, he has helped me a lot with the automation of the game. We are connected.
-What do you have left from your time at Manchester City? He has left there with 180 games, five Premier League titles, one Champions League, two FA Cups… A truly spectacular record of achievements.
-I think there are still some games left to write down… There are more than 180 (the data officially reflected by the statistics)… But look, the trajectory has been brutal. Manchester City has given me victories, trophies. That’s something big for a footballer. Surely there have been things that I could have done much better and it is a shame about the injuries, which have occurred too often and have affected my career. But I am where I am, and it hasn’t turned out that bad. But yes, it would have been nicer not to have had these injuries because there would be different things.
“It is the best in the world. Personally? I leave it without comments”
Guardiola
-He left Manchester last summer after winning the Champions League. Thinking about it coldly now, had the cycle closed or would it have continued?
-Let’s see, I think it is as a result of the injuries I suffered when the club began to sign other centre-backs. When you make those hires, which were also for a lot of money, you cannot save a place for a footballer who has given you a lot of physical problems or injuries. The club saw it this way and preferred to bet on others. Obviously, if I hadn’t had these physical problems, everything would have been different.
-Is Guardiola as special as they say?
-As a coach or personally?
-As a professional, especially.
-For me, Guardiola is the best tactical coach in the world, without a doubt. Now I see it even more from the outside, you realize. Tactically he is the best.
-And did it personally help you or did you expect more?
-Well, I’m going to leave it without comments.
-Curiously, he has been trained by three technicians who passed through Barça in a very short time. In addition to Guardiola and Luis Enrique, he was with Valverde at Athletic, where he played 222 games. What memories do you have of ‘Txingurri’?
-Well, very good. Plus, it was spectacular. In the years that I played with him, we were in the Champions League one year and the other three in the Europa League. It was a very nice experience for him and for us. We were always among the top seven and that, being Athletic, which since I left has not gone to Europe, it was something spectacular and very special. We enjoyed it very much. This year the team is doing very well and can return to Europe.
“When he arrived at City he didn’t even know how to position himself and today he is the best”
Rodri
-What did Valverde improve as a footballer?
-Well I do not know. It was more of a team level thing. We had an incredible team and had a brutal winning dynamic. You always learn and try to improve, but I wouldn’t say that anything specific improved me in particular.
-Iñigo Martínez has left Athletic, Yeray has had problems. There has been talk about center backs in Bilbao these months… Has the door been left open to a return to Athletic?
-I am a follower and member of Athletic. I have a three-year contract here. There are details that I don’t like here, as I said, and at a certain point it could be raised. At the moment, everything is very recent. It certainly won’t be in the winter market.
-When Alaba was injured, some rumor linked him to Madrid. Was there a call?
-No, I didn’t get anything.
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2024-01-20 04:33:49
#Laporte #dissatisfied #players #Arabia
