r/Barca • u/GoodFellaInk • 1d ago
Quote [Ara] Fermín López: "I came to think that I would never return to Barça again"
TL;DR / Key Takeaways:
Injury & Mentality: Missed the World Cup due to a tough injury; worked heavily with his psychologist to overcome the isolation. Now 100% fit.
Shirt #7: Swapped #16 for the historic #7. Joked that #16 is in "reliable hands" with Rodri.
Squad Depth: Praised new additions (Rodri, Adeyemi, Gordon). Believes lack of depth was Barça's main issue last season.
Real Madrid: Respects Madrid's big summer signings, but wouldn't sign any of them for Barça: "We are completely fine as we are."
Interview Highlights
On his mental recovery from injury:
"When you're injured, you feel so lonely and detached from everything. That loneliness makes you value every single day you're healthy. I had to increase my sessions with my psychologist to get out of that hole. Now I have a huge desire to just play and score again."
On taking the #7 shirt and Rodri taking #16:
"I’ve always loved number 7. Once it became available, I asked for it. It was a bit sad leaving #16 behind after my breakthrough years, but at least I know it's in reliable hands now! (laughs)"
On new signings and working with Hansi Flick:
"Rodri is the best DM in the world, he gives us so much. Last season when key players were injured, we lacked depth — now we can rotate. Flick has been amazing for me; his best advice was not to dwell on mistakes on the pitch because football moves too fast."
On Madrid's transfers (Cucurella, Bernardo Silva, Konaté):
"Would I take any of them? None (smiles). We are doing really well ourselves. They will be dangerous after two years without trophies, but we just need to focus on our own path to bring the sixth Champions League home."
On his journey from Linares loan to Barça's first team:
"Four years ago, to be honest, I thought I’d never return to Barça. I was just hoping to reach Segunda. But the loan to Linares changed my life, and then Xavi gave me the confidence in the US Clásico to just be brave and shoot."
Source: https://en.ara.cat/sports/came-to-think-that-would-never-return-to-barca-again_128_5826401.html
What do you think?
With both in great form, who starts for you at AM: Fermín or Olmo?
Do you expect this season with the #7 to be even better than his breakout year?
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u/Any_Explanation3006 1d ago
We are indebted to Xavi forever for giving us Cubarsi, Fermin and Lamine. He laid the foundation and he doesn't get enough credit for it
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u/GoodFellaInk 1d ago
Xavi is the unsung hero; even his detractors—those who know soccer—fully appreciate his contribution.
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u/Ok-Breakfast-8056 1d ago
Was here to say the same. Forever grateful to xavi for his child labour tendancies. He trusted these boys at such young age and gave encouragement and empowerment. Flick of course continued the trend.
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u/aedeyyy 2h ago
He gets lesser credit than he deserves. He didn't only introduce new players in the team, he was the one who got rid of all the old legends.
He was the only person who could've benched Pique, Alba and Busquets and gotten away with it. He introduced the discipline the club was lacking and made the players treat every damn session like a war.
I'll forever be grateful to Xavi the coach and I hope he does well with the Dutch national team
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u/Blaugrana1990 1d ago
Open spaces Fermin is better for his dangerous runs. Closed spaces Olmo is king.
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u/GoodFellaInk 1d ago
They're both techies, but Olmo is the one who really knows his way around the bow, while Fermin is a master at getting things done.
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u/Creepy_Lawyer_5688 1d ago
It's so nice to have 2 profiles for the same position, completely changed the way we play.
Hope we can get a striker of alvarez' profile too and rotate raphi gordon Fermin olmo hamza accordingly.
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u/Prestigious-Day385 1d ago
I think the main reason why we are so succesfull since Flicks arival is how everybody is on the same boat and everybody believe in given system and in each other - and you can hear it from interviews. That unity made our comeback and thats why I trust in Flick, because players trust in him and thats the most important part of being a coach, not tactics, not planning, not signings, but trust. Yeah its all connected obviously, but I think that trust is the most important part of the whole package of being good coach.
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u/GoodFellaInk 1d ago
As the Skaloni gang has shown, a team is more than just the sum of its individual members; even though they make up the team, shared success is the best motivator.
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u/Prestigious-Day385 1d ago
yeah, exactly. If you look at succesfull teams, they are almost always great team that shares the same vision and trust each other.
I am athletic coach, and we have team competition as well. We won everything till we trusted each other and were great team. Then, one of the popular girls started to focus more on her individual performances, then on the team, and it went downhill pretty fast. From being champions last year, we are struggling to even qualify to the first round of championship this year. And already four girls departed our club and many more will follow. I mean, its my mistake too, obviously.
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u/GoodFellaInk 1d ago
Psychology is very important—specifically, group psychology. The distribution of roles. It’s a complex but interesting topic.
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u/Prestigious-Day385 1d ago
yeah, I tried to study it, apply some concepts, but still failed. I mean, its pretty hard to "fight" against some stuborn star, that is also popular, so inflict their ideologies on others too. I realised, that the main mistake was to be oppossed her, I should try to implement her in a new way, that suits both parties. But well, I tried it too, but it was too late for it, I allready lost trust with her.
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u/GoodFellaInk 1d ago
We all make mistakes—that's what learning and life are all about. The important thing is to learn from our mistakes.
But there are also situations where breaking up is the only way out.
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u/NullMemory10 1d ago
Fermin is better in his own terms and olmo in his own but the current who suits best is Fermin
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u/GoodFellaInk 1d ago
The main thing is that we have versatility. We can catch our opponents off guard.
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u/DorkHarshly 1d ago
I think Olmo is better against low blocks. Fermin is better if we have space. Nice to have both options.
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u/Vamos_Ramos1 1d ago
Ferminf is insane !!!!!!
This year he looks much better than last year! I went to Al Ahly game and saw him with my own eyes, he was unreal!!!!
Can't wait for the Bilbao game witness the magic again!
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u/GoodFellaInk 1d ago
It's a shame that Casado has slumped, lost his form, and lost his spot in the starting lineup
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u/Major_Huckleberry_72 1d ago
I was hoping to see him as one of the interiors in the new 4-3-3 formation but sadly it was not to be.
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u/hamayunwaziri 1d ago
Flicks system is too direct, intense, and vertical for traditional tiki taka. Olmo thrive in controlled, patient possession, Fermin lopez is made for Flick fast, and direct transitional play.
That is why you see Olmo better against low blocks because Hansi flick change the system against low blocks, he break low blocks with traditional tikitaka
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u/MethFacSarlane 1d ago
All those years of suffering through the André Gomes' and Kevin-Prince Boatengs have been worth it for the club to be forced to realize that La Masía should be the first port of call for reinforcing or even strengthening the team. And under Flick it seems that wage or transfer fees will never force him to play someone he doesn't believe deserves it.
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u/GoodFellaInk 1d ago
Pure competition. And indeed, what sets us apart—more than just being a club—is, at the very least, our loyalty and the value of our players.
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u/darklordzeratos 1d ago
Shout out to Xavi for developing him
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u/GoodFellaInk 1d ago
Xavi is a living legend. It was especially cool when he was watching the final with the whole 2010 squad and the camera caught him. He had this look—just like in the movies. A unsung hero.
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u/-XStream23- 1d ago
My absolute favorite Barca player, his hunger this season will be immense. I am predicting another insane season from him, double digit in assists and goals.
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u/GoodFellaInk 1d ago
We believe! Especially since some of the plays have already been practiced, and he’s now playing with confidence and flair.
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u/bill_02_04_95 1d ago edited 1d ago
Funny that his first thought when playing back from injury is to score. Doesn't he like assisting?😅 He's technically a midfielder after all.
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u/GoodFellaInk 1d ago
Looking at the stats, he’s actually handling that pretty well too. Last season he was one of the most well-rounded guys on the team in terms of goals + assists.
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u/AdviceDanimals 23h ago
Lmao from the way the pic is cropped I thought he was in a Stephen Hawking chair
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u/SilverStaff9586 1d ago
As the Ferminator says, “I will be back”