With the departure of Inigo Martinez in the last summer transfer window, Pau Cubarsi has been left without his fixed center-back partner from the last season. So far this season, Hansi Flick has partnered the young center-back with different players, including Andreas Christensen, Eric Garcia, and Ronald Araujo.
As [SPORT](https://www.sport.es/es/noticias/barca/cubarsi-da-clave-clasico-dara-122912993) has reported, Cubarsi appeared in an interview with RAC1, and in this interview, he assessed these different defenders with whom he has partnered this season. In this regard, the youngster said:
**“I feel very comfortable with Eric. Eric is an incredible guy — his ball distribution is magnificent. I see Araujo doing really well; he’s very hardworking and has a strong mentality. Everyone in the team is very happy with him. He’s a great captain and has always helped me on and off the pitch. He was one of the first to support me.”**
The Spaniard also spoke highly of Inigo Martinez and highlighted his leadership:
**“He was a captain without the armband. He had a lot more experience and helped me in many ways. We complemented each other really well, but with the centre-backs we have this season, we can also achieve great things.”**
The defender also opened up on his change of position:
**“I haven’t played many matches on the left, so it felt a bit new to me, but it’s also helped me improve as a player. It doesn’t change much, although when I play on the right, since I’ve done it more often, I find spaces and the free man more quickly. I like the left side, and it will help me in the future.”**
[Cubarsi](https://semprebarca.com/topics/pau-cubarsi/) admitted that the Barcelona team needs some improvements:
**“We’ve seen several game situations that we need to work on. Self-criticism is always good, as long as it’s respectful. Last year, everything went really well for us, and now we just need to adjust a few things. Winning and scoring six goals helps us mentally.”**
The young center-back was also looking forward to playing against Kylian Mbappe in the upcoming El Clásico:
**“Last year, I already shared the pitch with Mbappé. He’s not like the strikers of the past — he’s faster and looks for space. He makes you stay alert as a defender. Madrid always have great squads. We also have the best players, which makes it a spectacular game to watch. We have to be ourselves, focus on what we can improve, and on how we can hurt them. That’s what will get us the win.”**
Pau Cubarsi also reflected on what the El Clásico will mean for the La Liga race:
**“We wouldn’t be worried about being five points behind. The league is very long. El Clásico is always important to win because of what it represents, but it’s only six points. The other matches are the most difficult ones — those are the ones that win you leagues.”**
Lastly, the defender also had some advice for his teammate, Lamine Yamal:
**“Lamine is doing really well. He just needs to ignore the noise around him. People on the outside will try to destabilize him. He has to stay mentally strong — and he already is.”**
As is apparent from this interview, Pau Cubarsi is mature beyond his years, not only on the pitch, but also in front of the microphones. Hopefully, this mental strength will come in handy as he faces one of the strongest attacks in Spain in the upcoming match between Barcelona and Real Madrid.