Interview with Cruyff Jr.: Barcelona is the team that players want to stay for the rest of their lives, and other teams are spring cricket teams

. Barcelona has a football philosophy, and football also has moments of change. You can stick to your DNA, but you must modernize and update some ideas. It's very difficult, especially inside the club, trying to convince everyone: Listen, we do perform well when there is a ball, but we're in pain when there is a ball. Some things need balance, and that doesn’t mean ‘we’re not going to play football anymore, we’re going to run’. No, it just needs to balance the roster. I think that's why a player like Conde, who is now starting to score goals and participate in the offense, initially he's contributed a lot in maintaining a balance on the defensive end. The league championship that Harvey led the team to win was really because he did a very balanced job without the ball. Maybe we didn't break the goal record because we didn't have the financial space to solve all the problems, but indeed, step by step, the lineup structure of each position started…”

Harvey once said that this was a team under construction.

Cruyff Jr.: "I even remember trying to use a slightly different combination of double midfielders so that the two can play at their best. We made some small tactical adjustments to help everyone perform at their best. ”

Even Dembele began to show some progress, but he eventually left.

Cruyff Jr.: "Talking about Rafinia's joining and Dembele's contract renewal. It was a complicated moment because Dembele's contract expired in July and we even thought he had signed with Paris because rumors were everywhere. As a result, after signing Lafinia, Dembele suddenly became a free agent and had the opportunity to renew his contract with him. We renewed our contract. Obviously we couldn't give him the conditions he wanted, but at the same time, because of the termination clauses... Then, Paris spent 50 million to buy him the next year. Although the subsequent payment was paid in installments, the final result was good because we won the league title, which was the criterion for testing whether the decision was generally correct or failed. In this sense, the result is good. Dembele left, he started the terms of the agreement to leave the team, but suddenly you have Rafinia...and then Yamal appeared again. Sometimes things happen because they are destined to happen. ”

Your eyes are also glowing when talking about your work in Barcelona.

Jelle Cruyff: "As I see, everything is always teamwork." When you have financial problems, you need experts in every way. The Fiscal Fairness Act is very complicated. I believe that 90% of people still cannot understand how difficult that equation is to calculate. But teamwork is done very well. I always feel very comfortable being with Matteu, and we talked openly about everything with Harvey. This is important for reaching a common understanding. Matthew understands the Fiscal Fairness Act better than anyone else. Sometimes there are rumors: ‘There is a certain player who can sign’. Matteu would say, ‘Brothers, there is not enough money. The numbers are here. ”

Financial balance operation.

Cruyff Jr.: "I remember, for example, in Julian Araujo's case, we signed him to the B team and knew he had potential. He is a Mexico international and has the potential to help as a first team player. If there is a problem with the fullback position, he can also play. But unfortunately, he failed to register because we were one minute late. But then you end up seeing it's a great deal for sale. A young man who spent two or three million left for 10 million, and he had hardly played in Barcelona. Or Cospo's case, we brought him from Switzerland. The young man’s dream is Barcelona, with good physical fitness and eventually sold him at five times the price. Listen, this is also part of the work of a sports director, sometimes invisible. Sometimes there are errors. As I said before, Aubameyang's departure is heartbreaking because we don't want him to go, but there are moments when you would have wanted to handle things in another way and you can't do anything. ”

Are you satisfied?

Junior Cruyff: "My original intention is to do my best to help during this necessary period of transformation. I am well aware of the difficulties of the transfer market. But my dream, my wish, is to help the club go on the right path. When I won the league, I said, ‘Look, I’m so happy. I've done something. ’My dad never won a championship as athletic director because he never held the position (laughs). At least I won something, even if it was only this league title, that part was happy for me. ”

Of course.

Jelin Cruyff: "I thought it was time to do something else after winning the league, that's it. I have fulfilled my responsibility to promote change. Sometimes there is a lot of debate inside because people are used to some way and have to try to modernize some things. Sometimes it's difficult because a person who always wins in some way now has to adapt…I think the best example is Guardiola. Guardiola's football is different from 10 or 15 years ago. He has the same DNA, the same philosophy, but he tweaks something and does a great job. So he always wins. The world is moving forward, and you must move forward too. ”