Eric García is back on the pitch wearing a protective mask again, this time after a nasal fracture, the same injury that forced him to wear one for part of last season too. Speaking to SER Catalunya's Qué t'hi jugues program, the Spain international and World Cup winner, now one of Barcelona's captains, touched on everything from his facial injury to his strong opinions on this year's Ballon d'Or race.
"I could say I've gotten used to it. It's not the same as playing without it, but I've already had to wear it twice in six months. My nose hurts a little, and they've told me I'll have to wear it for two months," García said. "Last year, I kept it on because things were going well, but eventually I got tired of it and took it off."
His pick for the Ballon d'Or podium
The headline moment of the interview came when García was asked about the Ballon d'Or. He didn't hold back in backing his Barcelona teammates. "The top three should be all Barça players, that's clear, and Lamine Yamal should win it," he said. "There are also other players like Cubarsí and Olmo who could be there. Lamine, Pedri and Raphinha would be my top three. It's incredible to me that they aren't nominated."
Finding a new role under Flick
García also opened up about how his role has evolved under Hansi Flick, pointing to a specific Champions League fixture as the moment things changed. "The Champions League game against Benfica was the turning point," he said. "He has always given me a lot of confidence. Flick has made me realize that I can play in more positions than I imagined. I've already joked with him that he should try me as a striker one day. It could be fun."
He explained the challenge of shifting positions: "Central midfield is a more difficult position because you receive the ball with your back to goal. I've always played center back, but I feel comfortable at fullback too, even though you have to run more. This year, Flick already warned me that I would play more at fullback. He's more demanding this year, especially when it comes to the physical work."
Asked about comparisons to Philipp Lahm given how Barcelona's fullbacks tuck inside, García said, "With the way we play, the fullbacks move more centrally. If that reminds Flick of Philipp Lahm, I'm not going to argue with him. Playing with Lamine Yamal ahead of you is about trying to give him the ball, not getting in his way too much and seeing what he does."
Wearing the armband
On being named one of Barcelona's captains this season, García called it "a privilege" and revealed how the voting process worked behind the scenes. "We voted on it on a piece of paper after Flick chose the first two captains. We gave the papers to Carles Naval, and he'll know if anyone played a joke. But if someone put down a strange name, it was definitely Szczesny."
He also reflected on his World Cup triumph and how it shapes his mentality now: "You have what you've achieved in the back of your mind because it gives you confidence. Very few players have won it. But you have to keep working. You can't go out onto the field thinking, 'I'm a World Cup winner, look at me.'"
On teammates, trophies and rivals
García had praise for Barcelona's new arrivals in defense and attack, singling out one in particular. "Now Gabriel Jesus has arrived, and he's a beast. Just like Anthony Gordon or Karim Adeyemi. I'm not going to tell you anything you don't already know about Rodri." More broadly on the new signings, he said, "They all come from competing at a very high level. The wingers give us things we didn't have before, such as runs in behind."
On Barcelona's targets for the season, he was clear that the Champions League isn't the only priority. "It's everyone's objective. We have a very complete squad with a lot of quality and competition. But LaLiga has to be an important objective too. The Champions League can sometimes come down to the flip of a coin, and that has an influence."
Asked about his No. 24 shirt, García explained the decision not to take the vacant No. 4. "I didn't take No. 4 out of respect for Ronald Araújo. He has gone out on loan, but he'll be back, and we're keeping it for him. I keep in touch with Ferran, and we've been winding each other up ahead of the game in Paris."
Looking back at a recent win over Levante, García was honest about the mistakes that let the opponent back into the game. "They scored two goals from two avoidable plays that were our mistakes." And on the prospect of facing Real Madrid, he added, "They're very dangerous going forward. They're extremely dangerous and punish every mistake. Playing against them always gives you extra motivation, and with Mourinho there's an added special element."
