Jorge ValdanoReal Madrid player from 1984 to 1987 and coach of merengues from 1994 to 1996, he granted an interview to Suddeutsche Zeitung to analyze Spanish football, also touching the planet Barcelona first-hand. One case above all is dominating the front pages of the newspapers and concerns the future of Dani Olmofollowing the failure to approve the extension of the Spanish attacking midfielder’s registration in LaLiga.
Speaking of the delicate topic, Valdano proposed a personal thought: “Players who can approach the level expected from Haaland and Mbappé? Players like this continue to emerge. Let’s think of Lamine Yamal, who is not yet ‘tamed’ and changes the course of the matches with his individuality. Or Dani Olmo, who also manages to hold the ball well when doing the vertical, Olmo is further proof of our unsurpassed football illiteracy: he reached the Barcelona and he surprised us so much with his game, as if he had come out of nowhere.
After which the 69-year-old Argentine also spoke about Xavi’s successor, Hansi Flick, making his seasonal debut on the Barcelona bench: “Hansi Flick is someone who hides behind a mask of seriousness… and behind his English. That’s why we don’t know how to interpret him. He spoke to us through his team. He made a good impression in the first three months, but lately he stuttered a little, and we are projecting it on Flick. But his discretion helps me to like him. His attitude is positive for football each or signature autographs is brilliant.”