Memphis Depay is enjoying his first week at Barcelona to the fullest. The attacker calls his transfer to the Camp Nou ‘a blessing’ and looks back with satisfaction on the first training sessions and his unofficial debut at los Azulgrana. In the exhibition game with fellow countryman Girona (3-1 win), he scored from eleven meters. “I didn’t really know Barcelona as a city. But it is a beautiful city and the people are friendly. I was very excited to come and now I want to discover everything. Frenkie de Jong had only positive words. For me, the greatness and project of the club is the most important thing.”
“Signing a contract with a club like Barcelona, with so much history, is nothing short of fantastic,” Depay emphasizes on Wednesday in a major interview with Sport. The the Dutch international made a fit impression in his first game, although he says he has not followed a specific training program and he was by no means at one hundred percent of his ability. “I wanted to take a complete break,” he refers to the period after the European Championship. “Because of the coronavirus I haven’t had a holiday for a long time and now I feel fresh and ready to go for it. Train hard. You may not have noticed, but I was tired against Girona and my legs felt heavy. I think I will be able to go full speed again soon.”
Depay wants to ‘win trophies with Barcelona’. “That’s why I came to this club, without a doubt. From my role, I will do my best to make a contribution. We’ll see what my role will be. What kind of soccer player am I? I always try to create danger and play direct, find the shortest way to score. Creative to see. I like Barcelona’s game and I want to adapt as soon as possible.” At Olympique Lyon he was the leader and captain, at Barcelona he is ‘just’ one of the players for the time being. “I want to win trophies and help the team with goals and assists. I’m going to give everything with the qualities I have. You cannot compare Olympique Lyon with Barcelona. This is a new chapter for me. Another club, another dressing room. It’s totally different.”
The question is what Ronald Koeman’s plans are with Depay and how the trainer wants to form his attack. Barcelona also signed Sergio Aguero, hope to announce Lionel Messi’s contract extension soon and also have players like Antoine Griezmann, Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele up their sleeve. “Playing with Messi would be incredible. I hope it is possible. He has qualities that the team needs and it is important that we build something around it. This selection houses a lot of talent.” Depay thinks a vanguard with Messi, Aguero and his person is a realistic option. “There are a lot of attackers in the squad, but in my opinion we are different. I have my qualities and strengths and they differ from, say, Aguero, or any other player. I think all three of us can play together, but let’s see how things go.”
Memphis Depay debuta con gol con el Barca. Fantástica ejecución del holandés desde los once metros. El primero de muchos! ???????? #FCBlive #FCBarcelona #BarcaGirona
pic.twitter.com/M4T1gosrNA— Pol Alonso ??? (@Polyccio8) July 24, 2021
Depay praises Koeman’s role in his career. “He was very important to me in important years of my career. He made a change at the Dutch national team, counted on me and gave me confidence. And now he counted on me in this adventure. With Koeman it is easier for me to adapt. I know what he expects of me, we’ve been working together for years. But even then I will have to give everything, it will not be easy. Without Koeman it would have been different anyway.”
The journalist of Sport Finally, Depay asked about his image, which he apparently comes across as a rebel. “I think the word rebel is often used negatively, but it can sometimes be seen positively. If you’re rebellious on the field, you can give a little something extra and help decide the match. Luis Suárez, for example, has won many matches and scored many goals. He’s also not the most friendly and nice person in the world in the field, is he? Maybe people think I’m a rebel based on my appearance. But if you know me, you will notice that I am a normal person. Not different from others. Maybe I come across a little different because of the way I express myself, or because I make music. Maybe not everyone understands me because of that. But I don’t mind being called a rebel. Everyone can have their own opinion.”