Goalkeeper Joan Garcia gave an interview to Marca, where he shared some of his routines and assessed the current state of FC Barcelona.
He fully identifies with the club’s project and philosophy: "Barcelona is a team that suits me a lot. It is a very young squad eager to achieve great things. If we work well, we will have many successful seasons. That’s what a player wants — a good future and a great long-term project. In that regard, Barça is ideal."
He also expressed his ambition to play in the World Cup: "It’s a dream because it’s the highest level a player can aspire to in international football. Representing your country in a World Cup is the ultimate goal. I believe there are real chances to fight for a spot, and the competition for call-ups benefits everyone."
Joan shared some of his pre-match customs: "Like many, I have my routines. The night before, I always eat the same dinner, and on the way to the stadium, I listen to the same songs — ‘No Afraid’ by Eminem and ‘Live Your Life’ by Rihanna. When I step onto the field, I touch the goalposts and the ball a bit. It’s a routine that helps me feel calm and prepared."
When asked about refereeing, he took a cautious stance focused on the team’s work: "The referees? Lately there have been doubtful plays that haven’t gone our way. But players shouldn’t waste time on that."
Joan believes the key is to improve what the team can control in upcoming matches: "We have many things to improve. Recently, things haven’t been going as we want. But these are details — knowing what to do at every moment and applying it on the pitch. We have a very good playing idea, but if a player does too much or too little, it hurts the team. We need to analyze, clarify what to improve — which we do well — discuss it among ourselves, and then work a lot on it."
Finally, he commented on the recent improvement of their eternal rival, Real Madrid, downplaying any overconfidence: "I don’t write Real Madrid off. Their recovery didn’t surprise me."
