Carles Aleña on renewing his contract, Messi and promotion to the first team

Barcelona B’s Carles Alena spoke to SPORT about renewing his contract, watching Lionel Messi on repeat and his first team chances… 

Better to stay in the B team than to go on loan? 

A loan was never an option for me. If I had to leave, I would leave, but I wanted to stay, the club [wanted me to stay] and from the moment of [Barça B’s] promotion we knew that Segunda A would be the best option. 

Your position is more and more like Messi’s… 

Said like that it sounds exaggerated, but that’s the position and I try to focus on a lot of things Leo dos. I see all the [Barça] games, even repeats, to try to copy, to see what he does on the pitch. Above all, I watch how he positions himself, how he has that vision… after, to repeat what he does is impossible. 

Is Messi your biggest reference? 

Yes… I always look for references with my profile. When I was young my idol was Deco, I was small, too, and I liked him a lot. Then there was Xavi, Iniesta, Messi… I try to focus on players who’ve come through at the club. 

You had chances with Luis Enrique, what do you expect with Valverde? 

I did preseason with the first team and it went well. Ernesto helped me a lot tactically, with how to play. In midfield he gave me four pieces of advice that have served me well. Perhaps his way of seeing football is different to Luis Enrique and you try to listen, to know what he wants and to believe in everything he dos. 

You’ve said you need to grow in the B team and you’re no obsessed with taking the jump into the first team. But do you think you will have to wait long? 

I have three seasons here and nothing else matters to me, I try not to pay attention [to anything else]. I don’t even know my buyout clause, honestly. We will see what happens, I could spend three years with the B team, I could go up to the first team, I could go on loan… There are all those options and that’s why I don’t like to think beyond this year. I know that first of all I have to things well with the B team, which I believe is what takes you to the first team. The coaches watch you every week and you have to be at 100 percent. I am happy to have renewed and to stay at the club, at Barça, for as many years as possible.