Kounde spoke about Xavi’s expectations from him, Chelsea’s attempts to sign him, the Champions League, the role of Pique after his arrival, issues with his registration with the team, and his preferred position during his pre-match press conference.
Kounde on Champions League:
“I think the team is excited about this tournament. It’s a great competition and we want to take part in it and win it. We are in a good position and the team is happy. We want to start the tournament in the best possible way.”
Kounde on his early days as a Barcelona player:
“I’m happy with the team. There are some things I have to learn more about. I prefer playing as a central defender rather than a full-back, but I will play in any position the coach wants me to.”
Kounde on Gerard Pique:
“I think he’s a very competitive player and I’m sure he’ll have his minutes during the season. He will help us with his great experience and expertise. He helps new players a lot and he’s an important player for the team.”
Kounde on not being registered at the start of the season:
“I was calm. I was confident in the club’s ability to register me. I was training well, recovering, and ready to start playing.”
Kounde on winning the Champions League:
“Of course. We are playing in a tournament we want to win. This is a commitment from Barca. We always strive to improve and the coach tries to implement his ideas in the team. We are still at the beginning of the season. There are many things that need to be improved.”
Kounde on Xavi’s demands from him:
“He asks me different things from what I was doing in Sevilla, but I always try to be important to the team and help it. When I play as a central defender, I try to give the team a numerical advantage, play hard and not be afraid of high pressure, and be a leader as well.”
Kounde on being surprised by the quality of the team’s players:
“That didn’t surprise me. In the second half of last season, they were already playing at a very high quality. Now the team has developed more and has two or three players in each position. I’m not as surprised as I am happy to help the team.”
Kounde on Chelsea’s attempts to sign him:
“It was a clear decision to play for Barcelona and I decided to wait for them. I had a great chat with Xavi, and he explained his thoughts to me. So my decision was easy.”
Kounde on the Champions League group:
“Our Champions League group is a very competitive group. We will try to play and enjoy these matches. We have a team with many talents, and we are working to develop even further. We have a lot of players who are able to create a threat, and our opponents will have to take us seriously.”
Kounde on only conceding one goal in 4 matches:
“I think it’s teamwork between all the players, the defenders and the goalkeeper. When we have the ball, things get better. This is a good sign, and if we continue like this we will be able to keep our clean sheets for a long time.”
Kounde on his improvement:
“All of our collective goals as a team are personal to me. We want to win matches and win titles. I will do what I can to help the team. And if we win titles, I’ll be happy. I strive to improve every day. There is a lot of room for improvement. Participation in the World Cup also motivates me and I will strive to play well.”
That concluded Kounde’s press conference.
