Interview: Marc-Andre ter Stegen says Barcelona are hungry for the treble
Ambition is the best word to define Marc-Andre ter Stegen. He arrived in the summer to become Barcelona's No 1, and the starting goalkeeper. He had to show great mental strength when Claudio Bravo was chosen to be the Liga keeper. Luis Enrique instead picked Ter Stegen in the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. Two great challenges for him to prove his worth, and he has left nobody in any doubts, with the club reaching the finals of both competitions. He spoke to Sport with great confidence - in English, although he understood the questions in Spanish, and uses it to talk to his team-mates.
This is part one of the interview and the second part is available HERE.
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How are you feeling ahead of two huge games?
I am the same as always, conscious that it will be very tough to play against Athletic and later Juventus. We have to win the Copa first and then later I hope that we can repeat that in Berlin.
Have you prepared in a special way for the finals?
No, I'm doing everything normally, training hard and everything is good. I want to have a good performance, and we are all preparing for them.
You seem calm ahead of the two most important games of your life...
In reality for everyone it's an aim to win the Copa and the Champions League. We have to go step by step. First Athletic and then Juventus. We will see what happens, now it's important to concentrate on Saturday.
You give the impression that nothing makes you nervous. Is that true?
For me, everything is the same. If you work hard during the week, you will play well. I try to give the best of my ability in each game and we will see what I can do. My mentality is to play my game, to do the best for the team and the most important thing is we all want the same.
Your tranquility comes from seeing the day-to-day performance level in training sessions?
Yes, it's something you can see with the work that all the players do. We go with the same idea that we have to give our best, and to win trophies.
You're being labeled favourites for both games, are you assuming that role?
I think that in finals there are no favourites. It always starts 0-0 and nobody knows how the game will go. We have to be prepared because it will be tough.
The team had a dinner on Monday in honour of Xavi and the feeling is there is a lot of unity. Do you think there's a huge hunger to win the treble?
Yes, everyone wants to do it. Everyone is very motivated and we think that we can achieve the goal, it's not a question of one person. I want the treble, each one of us think the same and we are confident. The feelings are that these are two really good games.
Playing in the Camp Nou against Athletic might give you an advantage?
I've not been in a situation like this, it's very confusing, but I'm just thinking about helping the team. We have to play like usual at the Camp Nou. We will feel like we're at home, because it's our stadium and this will help us fight for the win.
Each game in the Copa and the Champions League that you play is a motivation to show that you should be picked in the league?
No, for me each game is important. I want to give the best, always, without thinking about other considerations. My objective is to show what I have inside, to be 100 per cent. This is that I hope for myself, it's my idea and that of the team.
Although you don't like to individualise, did you feel strengthened by your games against City, where you saved an Aguero penalty, and in the Allianz?
This is true. They were great games against City, PSG and Bayern Munich. They were games in which I gave the maximum and the team played well as a group. This is to say, you have to think about giving everything so Barcelona can win.
What do you think about penalties settling one of the finals?
It's a final and nobody knows what will happen. You always have to be prepared for anything. The team will take on the 90 minutres with the idea of scoring and winning, though uncertainty will be there and if it goes to penalties we have to wait to see who will win.
