After three underwhelming games in La Liga, Barcelona return to action tomorrow night against Mallorca in a critical battle to compete for the lead in the standings.
Real Madrid’s win over Getafe has given them a chance to take the lead if they win their game in hand, but with that fixture not scheduled for the foreseeable future, Barcelona are in the driver’s seat for the time being.
The midweek clash will be special for Mallorca star Mateu Jaume Morey who spent a good part of his footballing career playing and growing up in Catalonia with La Masia.
The player has been injured for most of the season so far but has become an undisputed starter in recent games after regaining fitness and is now staring at his first game against Barcelona.
Speaking to SPORT ahead of the game, Morey recollected his years at La Masia and how it felt playing against Barcelona.
“Yes, I spent some very beautiful and enriching years there in my life. I learned a lot, but I am at home now and the Mallorcan feeling I carry inside wins all this. “
“In the end, it’s a football game. Then we’ll talk about feelings, but while the ball is in play we’ll give everything so that the three points stay on the island,” he added.
When asked if it was the right time to play against Barcelona who have struggled in the last three match-days, the player said,
“There is never a good time to play against these teams. It will be a very complicated game, there will be times when we will have to suffer, but in the end, playing at home will give us the advantage of playing with yours and having our fans behind us.”
“We have a lot to say in this game, we come in good dynamics after two victories in a row and with a lot of confidence. We’ll go for the three points,” he added.
Mateu Jaume Morey during his time at Barcelona. (Photo by Robert Hradil/Getty Images)
The former Barcelona star was then asked how it felt on the few chances that he got to train with the likes of Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets, something he has flaunted on his social media in the past.
“In the end, for a boy who has dreamed all his life of being a football player, being able to go up with the first team of Barça and share the locker room with these players is a dream come true.”
“But at no time did it cross my mind to debut because I was still very young, the possibility was not so far away, but I enjoyed the day-to-day,” he added.
The defender was then asked if he regretted leaving Barcelona for Borussia Dortmund, to which he said,
“No, no. My decision was very clear. I was very happy in Can Barça and I continued to be in Dortmund, despite all the injuries. It was a stage where I learned a lot as a player and as a person.”
Towards the end, the La Masia graduate was asked why not many players from his generation made it to the first team when today’s players are breaking in easily.
“I think it’s times, it depends on the players, on the coaches. There are many factors in soccer. But the players focus on what we can control and everything else you have to accept and follow.”
Finally, he spoke about how he remembered Gavi from his time in La Masia, although the midfielder was in a cadre below him owing to the age difference.
“We lived in La Masia and since we were little it was seen that both football and by the character he had everything to get there and so he has done.”