Joan Gonzalez, the Spanish midfielder from Lecce, has shared some key thoughts on the upcoming Champions League matches. In an interview with ‘AS’, he opened up about the team’s performance and how the season has been going so far.
“We started the season very well,” Gonzalez begins, reflecting on a strong start that was followed by a winless streak, before they returned to success against Frosinone. But, in his eyes, unity and competitiveness within the squad have been the highlights of Lecce’s season. Players are continuously pushing themselves during training to impress the coach and maintain their team spirit.
Gonzalez has enjoyed his football to the fullest this year, relishing the opportunity to play more and earning increased trust. “Italian football is very tactical, but above all extraordinarily physical,” remarks Gonzalez. He believes that the center halves are the physical beasts of their team who, despite some limitations, are apt to play in Serie A due to their physical prowess. For him, the aim for the rest of the season is quite clear – more game time to continue his development, irrespective of the category.
Switching gears, Gonzalez offered some predictions for the upcoming clashes in Champions League. About Inter Milan facing Atletico Madrid, he warns, “Atleti is always Atleti. Even though they are not in an optimal situation, they have always been able to beat big teams.” Thus, he suggests that the current strong form of Inter doesn’t necessarily guarantee a win against Atletico Madrid.
When it comes to the fixture between Napoli and Barcelona, he admits, “Napoli is not strong, despite being the champions of Italy, and Barcelona is also not at its optimal level.” He sees the potential for a draw, given the existing conditions of both squads and their room for improvement. Ultimately, though, he hopes for a great spectacle for fans of both teams.