SPORT interview with new signing Lucas Digne, who says "Barça is football"

Lucas Digne arrived at Barcelona with a confidence and energy that was surprising at first sight. He is happy and has his eyes open. The Frenchman, in one year at Roma, learnt very good Italian and he already knows how to explain things in Spanish. He speaks without worry, without feeling intimidated by the size of Barcelona, and he is enjoying what the city has to offer with an interest that isn't often found in a footballer. Here is Sport's interview with him.

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How has your start been at the club?

I'm very good, happy with the whole team. All the club has made me feel comfortable from the first day, making me feel at home.

Did such a warm welcome surprise you at a place that could be quite intimidating, like Barcelona?

My team-mates and the club staff have done everything for me, they make life easy.

Who has helped you the most?

Everyone! Messi, Suarez, Ter Stegen, Pique, Mathieu, who speaks French. Everyone is very friendly to me. 

Do you have any close connections with the younger players?

Yeah, Denis Suarez is my neighbour in Barcelona.

You played against him at the U20 World Cup in Turkey in 2013, do you remember facing Spain?

That's right, with Samuel (Umtiti) we played against him in the first phase and Spain beat us, although in the end we were champions. We spoke about these games and remembered that World Cup, it was a very good experience.

And what can you tell me about Luis Enrique?

He spoke with me to explain how Barcelona plays, what I have to do. It's very important to know what you have to do when you arrive at a new club. 

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Is it different being a Barcelona full-back than at other clubs?

Here you have to attack a lot, but press rapidly to get the ball back too, it's a different way of playing. 

It seems that you have to be more of a central midfielder than a defender...

No, no, I'm a defender. When the opponent attacks it's important there are four players across in a line to defend. With the ball it's a different story, we have to be in constant movement.

How is it when you arrive at the byline and you can't cross it because there are no strikers in the area?

You have to keep the ball, keep the position to find space. It's the important thing and this is the way Barcelona work to find the goal. 

It's surprising you've been so aggressive in defence, you didn't seem that way.

A defender has to be aggressive, all the defenders should be like this. 

Did you learn to get tough in Italy?

I learned a lot at Roma. It's tactically different to France, they do a lot of work on the chalkboard and this helps you to improve a lot.

From when you were little, were you focused on Barcelona?

Barcelona is the reference point for football. For La Masia, the club, the way of playing. Barça is football.

Is it true that your father had the dream of seeing you play for Barcelona?

The story is that when I was little I joked with my parents and told them I was going to play at Camp Nou. They told me "We will see, we will see..." It's a dream for all of us, an incredible thing for a 23-year-old player.

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What players do you have as reference points?

Zidane was my idol, but today it's very clear - Messi is the best in the world.

And the player you prefer in your position?

I liked Roberto Carlos. He was very good attacking and defending. I also like Philipp Lahm, who can play in the middle of the pitch and defence. 

You seem a big football fan, do you watch many videos and do analysis at home?

Yep, I learned a lot in this last year in Italy in this regard. It's interesting to work with video to improve. 

Do you see yourself one day as a coach?

Yes, I like to watch football and study it. 

How do you see the competition with Jordi Alba at left-back?

Jordi is a great player and the team is the most important thing. What's fundamental is that we all give our maximum and the team will be stronger. 

Are you ambitious and do you think you can take his place?

I insist, the team is the most important thing, we all have to contribute.

Speaking of the team, when you played last season at Camp Nou there was a thrashing for Roma... how was it having Barcelona as an enemy?

It's very different playing against Barcelona than the reverse... To take them on is very difficult and even more so at Camp Nou. You don't have the ball and when you do have it, they suffocate you and don't let you do anything. 

Your prime aim is the Champions League?

Barcelona is the biggest club in the world. We have to give everything to win the Champions League. 

At PSG, where you played, it seemed impossible to win a Champions League...

It's a very difficult competition, the most complicated in the world. I'm focused on us now, we have a great team and we'll give it our all.

You were in the dressing room with Ibrahimovic, how is he close up?

Now he's at Manchester United and is a great player, he has a lot of character, but is a good person, calm. In the PSG dressing room everything went well with him.