"I had other options, but when Barca approached me with that desire... I didn't think about it"

Dani Olmo, the latest signing of Hansi Flick's Barca, assured that the Catalan club has “a great team” so he hopes to “give a lot of joy to the fans”.

This he said in an interview with the media of the 'Cule' entity. Olmo, who left Barcelona 10 years ago looking for opportunities for development, first in Zagreb (Dinamo) and lately in the Bundesliga (RB Leipzig) admitted that he is “an ambitious person”.

“I always want to win. This is what I want to do at Barcelona,” said the striker, who called Barca his home and recalled that he has all his family and friends here, so coming back has been ”special.”

“It was a dream for me to return home. The club has fought to make it happen and there was no other way to do it. There were other options, but when Barca approached me with that desire and initiative I didn't think about it. Returning home, with my family and friends, was a dream,” he insisted.

He admitted that his great role in the last European Championship, where he was one of the top scorers of the Spanish national team, put him back in the limelight and commented that he is probably going through one of his best moments of his career.

Olmo spoke about his beginnings at Barca, where he only played as a striker, and how he has developed over time to take on other roles.

In any case, he praised “the work, the idea, the philosophy and everything that Barca transmits” through La Masia. “The values that are transmitted are seen at every stage and are improving by leaps and bounds. When I was there there were many players, but now there are many more who have been able to reach the first team,” the striker insisted.

Regarding his signing for Barca, Olmo revealed that he was unable to talk to coach Hansi Flick before he signed for the club, despite the fact that they knew each other from the Bundesliga.

He explained that his interlocutor was the technical director, Anderson da Souza 'Deco'. “He transmitted me the coach's desire to bring me here,” said Olmo, who was excited to play with great players, both from the Spanish national team and worldwide (he cited Frenkie de Jong, Robert Lewandowski, Ronald Araujo...) and in the new Spotify Camp Nou.

But he also referred to Lamine Yamal: “He is a natural talent, a very good person, very healthy in the dressing room and hopefully he will give us a lot of joy”. Olmo also admitted that he gets along “very well with him” and has a “good connection” with Barca's young rising star.

 

August 15, 2024