It came last summer, but Fridolina Rolfö (28 years old) You are already beginning to feel at home at Barça. The left-back or left winger, who is the first Swedish woman in history in the women’s team, attended AS in an exclusive interview on the occasion of the ‘Clásico’ at the Camp Nou against Madrid. A game that he believes will be unforgettable for a culé team in which he wants to continue growing and, above all, winning titles. Ex del Wolfsburgo, Bayern o Linköpings, Rolfö ended up at Barça with a very good poster and has managed to meet expectations.
Left-back or winger, the Swede admits a great admiration for the Barça game and club and confesses that what he likes most about coming to this team is the “ambition”. A quality that they will put to the test next Wednesday (6:45 p.m.) in a historic duel. The azulgranas are more than favorites, after 1-3 in the first leg at Di Stéfano, but Rolfö remains calm. “It’s football and nothing is guaranteed,” he says.
Congratulations on the victory in the first leg against Madrid. What assessment do you make of the game?
Thank you very much. We were impressed by the level of Real Madrid. In the first half, Real Madrid made it very difficult for us and put a lot of pressure on us. Like all the Clásicos, it was a very intense match. But I am very happy and proud of how the team worked to turn the game around and win.
What has surprised you the most about the white team in the four matches you’ve played against the whites?
They are a strong team, which is growing a lot. They have very good players who make the difference. I think they have a lot of potential and that they will continue to grow in the coming years.
Who do you think is the most differential player of Real Madrid?
Esther seems like a very dangerous attacker to me.
Your teammate, Asllani, could not play in the first leg due to injury, have you spoken with her these days?
Yes. I spoke with her and I was very sad that she couldn’t be in the first leg. I hope he can be on the pitch in the second leg at the Camp Nou because it will be a historic game and a beautiful one to experience.
How do you face the match at the Camp Nou?
I really want to see that match. It’s going to be a very special day and game for everyone, with a lot of people in the stands. Apart from all that, the place in the Champions League semi-final is at stake and that adds more motivation. I am very excited about this match, as are the rest of my teammates.
It is expected that the world record for attendance at a club match will be broken, was this impact expected in the locker room?
The game at the Camp Nou is going to be something unique and we feel very lucky to be able to experience something like this. I experienced something similar with the national team and these are moments that are never forgotten.
How do they deal with the pressure of always being favorites at Barça?
We are very used to it and it is something that motivates us. We love to feel that pressure. Being favorites has its reasons. And in the end we like to feel it because we believe that this pressure only occurs in big clubs.
This surprise from Madrid in the first leg, does it make there be more respect for the second leg? Do you think that the tie is almost sentenced?
It’s football and nothing is guaranteed until the end. When Madrid went ahead on the scoreboard, we felt at all times that we could turn the result around because we trust a lot in ourselves and in the quality of the team. In this match at the Camp Nou anything can happen because it’s football, but what we would really like would be not to suffer and to have control of the match from start to finish.
What do you think of the penalty that gave way to 1-1 in the first leg?
I haven’t seen it after the game and I couldn’t tell you, it is true that during the game, when the referee went to review the play, I tried to see the replay on the monitor, but I didn’t get to see it properly because there were too many people. I could not tell you.
How are you experiencing these first months at Barça?
Everything is going very well. The staff, the companions, everything is great. I am very happy to be here. The city is wonderful. The club is amazing and I am learning a lot every day. The atmosphere is very good in general and everything is perfect to continue growing.
He has come to Barça this season and has already won two titles and is in the Cup semi-finals and Champions League quarter-finals. Was this the objective, to come to Barça to continue winning titles?
Yes. It is one of the main reasons. I want to be in a team that has this ambition of wanting to win as many titles as possible, but there are other reasons. It motivated me a lot to come to a team that has such a particular and specific style of play, which allows me to grow a lot as a player. Other than that, I really like the project. It is a club that is betting heavily and well on women’s football and I like being part of it because it gives me confidence and security for the future.
You are very versatile, in which position do you feel most comfortable or do you think you have the most potential?
Where I feel most comfortable and enjoy the most is on the left wing, although there are times that at Barça I play on the left-back and it’s as if I were a winger. I have total availability to play wherever the coach asks me. The most important thing is the team, but if I have to choose a position I’ll stick with the left winger.
What are your goals at Barça?
It is very difficult for me to set out clear objectives because I have just arrived. Now I am very focused on the present, with a season in which I have the objective of winning everything. At the moment, I am very happy to be here and for the coming seasons I only think about growing and winning as much as possible with the team.
Now, I would like to give you a little more personal test
Great. Go ahead.
What is your favorite Spanish food?
Ham and squid
Is there any song or music that is marking your time at Barça?
Camilo
How is the language or, rather, the languages: Spanish and Catalan?
I am giving Spanish classes and I am doing very well in them. I think it is very important to learn the language of the place you are in so that I can get more involved in the team and feel more at home. As for Catalan, I am learning some words too.
Is there a word that is difficult for you in Spanish?
There are some very difficult sounds. I have a hard time saying words with stress like ‘Perhaps’.
A place in Barcelona or Spain that you like?
It hasn’t given me much time to discover places, but I would stick with Montserrat.
Which Barça player has surprised you the most?
Patri Pebble.
And, a Spanish custom that seems strange to you?
The three wise men. I didn’t know him and I was surprised, but for good. I found the Three Kings Day festivity curious.
What do you like most about having signed for Barça?
The ambition and the search for perfection at Barça. There are games that are won and there is always an analysis of what can be improved to score more goals and have a better game.