Arsenal winger Gerard Deulofeu has given an interview to Mundo Deportivo ahead of the Premier League match against Manchester City on Saturday.
The 22-year-old, who played for Barcelona for several years, commented on how it will be to face Pep Guardiola’s side in a battle for ball possession.
Asked about what will the key be, Deulofeu said: “To press them up and drown… Both Tottenham and Celtic are two references because they made it. If we don’t, they will go out fast, jump lines and will create much danger. We must be patient because the match will be long and they’ll want to wear us down with possession.”
Questioned if it will be hard to fight their possession, the player commented: “I think so. They accumulate a lot of quality players in the midfield but we can’t resign ourselves. We must try to steal the ball and avoid locking ourselves in behind. We are Everton and we do not play like this. It’s true that sometimes we go back to get out with more surprise, but it would be a mistake to grant possession and bail out the water.”
Deulofeu also revealed what were his biggest improvements during his time at the Goodison Park: “Especially in defensive aspects. When I played at Barça I’d get some things wrong, but I learned that if I didn’t acquire that commitment, I could not play in the first division. Guardiola worked with me and since then I have improved. In football you can’t only play based on quality and talent. Defending is a must.”
The winger was asked to compare Everton’s manager Ronald Koeman and Pep Guardiola, since both are said to be part of the same football school. “They both have much character, they are strict and create their own style of play. We saw what Guardiola was capable of at Barcelona, he’s one of the best in the world. Koeman asks us to be aggressive in pressure after losing, to get out fast. But we should have more possession if we want to be strong and to make the opponent suffer, because the goal is to be in Europe.”
Mundo Deportivo mentioned the buy-back clause that Barcelona have still got on him, but the player says he’s not concerned about this for now: “On the day to day you think about your club. In training and starting, so things can work well. But obviously it’s an option that is still there and the club has the last word. I’m calm and we’ll see what will end up happening. It’s true that to play for this club is very hard, but at the same time it’s everyone’s dream.”
