Carles Pérez: “The best advice was given to me by Xavi and Messi”

The Spanish Carles Pérez, striker for Roma and former player of Barcelona, ​​assured this Thursday that his compatriot Xavi Hernández and the Argentine Lionel Messi gave him the best advice to assert himself as a professional footballer. “The best advice is normal that they come from expert and affirmed players. In my case I choose the one that Xavi gave me. 'In soccer everything depends on ourselves, nobody gives you anything. Each achievement must be conquered with your own strength.' Leo Messi also helped me and many young people with his advice, although Xavi's words were the ones that most affected me, “said Carles Pérez in an interview on the official Roma website.

Pérez arrived at Barcelona in 2012 and made his debut as a first-team starter this year, scoring a goal for Real Betis, as well as one in the Champions League against Inter Milan, before joining Roma in the January market. “I remember that I was very nervous on the day of my first training session with the Barcelona first team, even if it was the day after a game and the starters did a job on the sidelines and we youngsters played with the substitutes,” Pérez told review your experience at Barcelona. “There was a lot of pressure, coach Ernesto Valverde was looking at you and Messi and other phenomena were also there watching our game. You were always under examination,” he added. “And my first game was on the last day of the 2018-2019 League at Eibar's home. I entered in 70. But the one I consider my real debut was at the Camp Nou on the second day of this League, at Barcelona- Betis. I started, we won 5-2 and I scored the goal of the momentary 3-1. An unforgettable emotion, “he concluded. Pérez assured that he prefers to play before watching games, although he acknowledged that his first great youthful memory of Barcelona is the victory by 2-6 at the Bernabéu achieved in the 2009 League, when he coached the Blaugrana team Pep Guardiola, now coach of Manchester City . He also expressed his enthusiasm for having reached Roma, the club with which he played seven games and scored a goal, in the Europa League against Gent.

“I have a good memory of my first months, until the break caused by the coronavirus. I have always said that I am happy to be here and for the love I received. It was a pity that I was not able to play until now, but we are ready to return to compete, “he said. The Spanish shares the wardrobe with his compatriots Pau López and the young Gonzalo Villar, who also arrived at the winter market. “Me and Gonzalo met with the U21 team. It is clear that when you have experience abroad it is important to have a compatriot of yours. We are helping each other, although the other colleagues also received us very well,” he said.