The Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco, who faces the Eurocup after being proclaimed League champion in Spain with the Atlético de MadridHe said on Wednesday that physically he may be in the best moment of his career.
“It is clear that physically I feel very, very good, perhaps in my best moment,” said the player at a press conference three days after Belgium debuted against Russia in the tournament of nations.
The 27-year-old mattress winger explained that he works a lot in the gym and runs a lot in each game, but pointed out that he also runs better because “experience is extremely important: knowing your body and knowing when to run or when to run, run less and be tactically better … ”.
Carrasco, who has left a good image in the two preparation friendlies that Belgium have played against Greece and Croatia and whose position is in competition with that of the captain, Eden Hazard, avoided comparing himself to the attacker of the Real Madrid, which hastens the deadlines to be in perfect condition for the tournament after two years plagued with injuries.
“It is a collective sport, not an individual one,” concluded Carrasco, who recalled that at the European Championship in France in 2016 they also told him that it could be his great moment and, however, the results were not as desired either for him or for the team. who then directed Marc wimots, which fell in the quarterfinals against Wales (3-1).
“In relation to my age and my experience (this time), I think it will be something positive,” added the player, who noted.
“People say we are favorites, is what we hear. But internally we just focus on our game and winning. We try not to listen too much, we are in our own bubble ”, he commented.
SIMEONE Vs MARTÍNEZ
Invited to compare the styles of his coach at Atlético, the Cholo Simeone, and the coach of the Belgian team, Roberto MartinezHe pointed out that “they have different philosophy” although both “are two great coaches, they have a good relationship with the players, they talk and explain what is going well or not.”
“The style changes. Simeone is more defensive, it starts with defense. Martínez is more oriented towards the attack, with more possession, ”said Carrasco, who added that with both Atlético and the “Red Devils” he has freedom in attack “to do whatever he wants” as long as he fulfills his defensive duties.
Carrasco added that he looks more mature after his time in the Chinese league because “when you go abroad you realize how lucky you were in Europe”, and that Simeone recognizes that maturity.
“I have sacrificed a lot for my team this year. The last few months were decisive in helping to win the championship”Said the footballer.
Asked if getting involved in discussions in the game could not detract him from performance, he blamed it on his desire for victory. “I have a winning mentality. It is one of the strongest points of my character ”, he concluded.