In a recent interview with Radio Catalunya, Barcelona's sporting director, Deco, commented on a number of situations at the club, with a focus on players such as Lionel Messi and Yamal, as well as his own feelings about his job.
Talking about Messi, Deco gave a very high evaluation: "Messi is God's chosen one, he is the greatest player in history. We used to joke with Junior that Messi would be Barcelona's number 10. Although we knew he had the potential to be a great player, we couldn't imagine what he would achieve after that. Technically, Ronaldinho is the best player I've ever seen, but in terms of competitiveness and creating threats, Messi is unique. His performances cannot be explained in words, things like that rarely happen."
With regard to Yamal, Deco also has high hopes: "Yamal is writing history for his club, which is Barcelona. Like Messi and Iniesta, he has everything he needs to be a symbol of the club. It's a great thing to have him in the team. He shows decision-making skills that are very rare for a kid of his age and has a bright future ahead of him."
Speaking about the comparison between Yamal and Messi, Deco said, "Comparisons are part of soccer and part of idolatry. Every player has his own characteristics and style of play, Yamal has his own path of growth to follow and I am sure he will be an important part of Barcelona and Spanish soccer."
Regarding Yamal's frequent appearances for the Spanish national team, Deco believes, "There's no problem with that, Yamal is participating in all the UEFA matches, which is helpful for his growth. Of course, we also need to make some changes in the scheduling of the matches to ensure that the players can get enough rest and recovery."
Speaking about the signing of Olmo, Deco said, "I had no hesitation in bringing him in because he's a different type of player from what we have. We have a lot of high-level midfielders, but between the two defenses, we needed a player of Olmo's high level. So it was a pleasure to bring him here."
Regarding head coach Flick's performance, Deco gave credit where credit is due: "Flick's performance doesn't surprise me. In soccer, it's all about making things work. But when you see a team that enjoys the game, and when you see players who are happy, it's great. I'm sure Barcelona will achieve better results under his leadership."
Finally, talking about how he feels about his job, Deco said, "It's true that there have been some tough moments, but I've never doubted that I wanted to stay here. Because ever since the president called me, I've always wanted to help Barcelona. I want to help the club reach the goals we want and that's what I'm doing now. I will do it until the last day and contribute to Barça."
