Lejeune: “Ramos is a legend, it's a shame he's gone”

Florian Lejeune (Paris, 30 years old) is a central with very good reputation in Europe, after training at Villarreal and being signed by an entire Manchester City. Anyway, he wishes he had one more stable career, without so many back and forth by many teams.

Lejeune, 'the young man' in French, sounds good to someone in their thirties.

If Hahaha.

His first big jump was to Villarreal B, but it didn't go well.

They signed me to play in the subsidiary, which was in the Second Division, and, at the same time, I trained with the elders. They were in the Champions League and I was able to make my debut in the First Division, so it was a good stage. But it was hard for the first team to come down and force the subsidiary to do the same.

In other words, the memory is regular.

That first stage in which you leave your country and you don't know what you are going to find is always special. They treated me very well, the atmosphere was familiar. The president is very good.

And in 2015 City came into his life. Well, it came and it didn't come.

Yes, at first I didn't believe it. They told me that they would send me to Girona but that I was going to do the preseason with them. Then Guardiola arrived and they explained to me that he liked my profile, the way I get the ball. In 2016 the European Championship in France was played and many internationals could be out, so I had options to play friendlies. In the end it was not like that. I tried but it is very difficult to find a place in a team with so many stars. Girona and then Eibar gave me a good opportunity.

Indeed, he passed through Eibar …

Yes, another great stage. I signed a long contract, for four years, it is a family. But Benítez called me for Newcastle. A great leap.

Well, another way out.

It was a great contract, for five years. And I stayed three. It is a great club, with a lot of demand. Knee injuries came and everything was cut short.

There it coincided with a good Spanish representation.

Yes, Manquillo, Merino, Ayoze Pérez, Gámez and Joselu.

See how far Merino has come!

I'm not surprised. I already faced him when Osasuna was there and I liked him. He started well at Newcastle, but was hurt by a back injury.

Is the Premier and LaLiga very different?

In England the centrals are tougher, the game is very physical. Here the ball is given more importance, to play fast with it.

And finally, the Alavés. He wanted to stabilize now. He has signed in property, until 2024.

Yes, in my head it is always to find myself well, at ease. With Calleja things changed. We spoke before the end of last season and it was clear to me that I was going to continue, that I was going to continue growing here. The decision to return has been very easy. I have been very comfortable and with the arrival of the new technician, it all led to being here again, which is what I wanted. I am very excited to continue belonging to the albiazul family and hopefully it will be for many more years.

It was a miracle last year!

In the end, with the arrival of CaarrivesWe have already proven to be a team with the ability to play great football. Now I am convinced that we are going to have a good year.

Well placed player and at the start of the game, they say that sometimes he should be more forceful.

I try to be more complete every day, to learn from each experience.

To start the year, Madrid. But without Ramos.

He is a legend in Madrid. What am I going to say that I am central? It's a shame that a player like that has left, like Messi. With PSG they are going to fatten their record of titles, which is already the envy of anyone.

He will face his compatriot Benzema.

He is one of the best in his position, perhaps the star of LaLiga after Messi's departure. He is in an incredible moment, it was a success that he returned to the French team. We will have to do everything so that they do not have a good day and score goals.

He is an avowed fan of the Netflix series 'You' and recently joked that he would know how to dispose of a body without being caught by the police. Benzema does get rid of all … the living.

Mine was a joke, ha ha ha. There was a lot of talk about it.