Alen Halilovic: Abelardo & Luis Enrique are very similar... and Modric is world's best midfielder
Alen Halilovic became, at 16, the youngest player to debut for Dinamo Zagrab, to score in the Croatian league and to play for the Croatian national team. Two years later, FC Barcelona signed him, and after one year playing for Barça B, he joined la Liga side Sporting Gijon on loan.
In his first interview since moving to Gijon, the second youngest player to play in the Champions League has spoken about different aspects of his career and his new situation as a Sporting player.
"In my first conversation with Abelardo, Sporting's manager, he told me he had spoke with Luis Enrique and that they believed this year was going to be very important for me to play games, to work hard and to learn about la Liga," Halilovic said in the interview.
"Luis Enrique told me the best thing for me was to come to Gijon, where I would be in a good team, a young team, and my parents also said it was for the best," he added.
"Luis Enrique and Abelardo are very similar, both like to talk with their players a lot, they are direct and they tell you what you need to do, what you do well and what you do not so well," Halilovic continued.
Despite playing in Croatia's top flight with Dinamo, this is his first year in Spain's top division. "It's a different league. We've only won once, but we've played really well and if we work hard, the victories will come and we will move towards our objective, which is to stay up," he said in regards to Gijon's start to the campaign.
Alen Halilovic remembers his arrival in Barcelona and his first training sessions with the club's stars as if it was yesterday. "It was impressive. I always say that it's like being on another planet when you train or play with these players. But they are all normal, you can speak with them. When I arrived, Gerard Pique, for example, said if I needed anything, he would help me. It was all very friendly," he stated.
"I speak a lot with Rakitic. He's my best friend in the Croatian side. He helps me a lot. And, even though he plays for Real Madrid, I also get on well with Luka Modric, who is the best midfielder in the world for me, and Mateo Kovacic," he added.
In the interview, the Sporting player also said his intention is "to play for FC Barcelona's first team." Finally, he also answered questions about being compared to Messi. "He is the best player in the history of football. Nobody plays, or will ever play like him, including me, although I like it that people compare me to him.
