Eric Garcia opens up on leadership and Barcelona dressing room

Barcelona defender Eric Garcia has declared that former captain Carles Puyol is his role model, which is sure to go down well with the Culer fanbase. Garcia also opened up on their two defeats to Girona and Atletico Madrid, his role as a leader and the intricacies of the dressing room.

The alarm bells rang at Barcelona after those two losses, both in a similar fashion, with Hansi Flick looking short of solutions. His aggressive style saw his players caught out and there was even a suggestion that some players felt they should be more pragamtic. Garcia noted that the resounding defeat to Atletico Madrid was an amalgamation of several factors.

“Against Atletico, everything came together in the first half. It was a matter of intensity and attitude. In a Copa del Rey semi-final, we should have come out with a different mentality. The disallowed goal, the seven minutes of stoppage time, really pissed us off. And against Girona, we suffered a lot; it was a frantic, end-to-end game. They’re strong at home with the ball. It was a week to talk about a lot of things and improve. Against Levante, the team did what it had to,” he told MD.

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“Playing every three days often doesn’t give you time to analyse things, because you always have a match to change what you did before. These two quieter weeks have allowed us to talk, train more, reinforce our approach, and I think it’s been positive.”

‘If we have to argue, we argue’ – Eric Garcia

Despite only being 25 years of age, Garcia is one of Barcelona’s more experienced players, a role he has thrived in. He was asked if at any point he had been required to tick off some of his younger teammates.

“I wouldn’t put it this way, but the trust we all have means that at some point… Raphinha, for example, who gets quite heated, if we ever have to argue, we argue. It won’t escalate; we’ll still love each other. I think it’s positive that we can tell each other things as they are.”

“In a dressing room, there’s a time for everything, and you also have to get to know your teammates. Some can be energised with a joke or two; others need a good message, something to really lift their spirits. We’re all different, and that’s something I enjoy doing.”

Garcia has been the most used player this season under Hansi Flick, having almost left the club last January due to a lack of game time. This year Flick has been effusive of his praise for Garcia, and in particular, his leadership abilities.

“The manager asks us to communicate, to talk things through, to share how we feel and what we see on the pitch that perhaps they don’t quite see. He wants us to be honest with ourselves. This week, after losing two games, has been a time for talking and seeing how we can improve, because we’re entering a very important stretch: the Champions League, La Liga, the second leg of the Copa del Rey… The first-leg result was too harsh, but sometimes these things are good for you. Up until that game, everything was going smoothly, and now, because of two matches, it seems like everything has fallen apart.”

With regard to being a leader, Garcia cited Puyol and Javier Mascherano as players he modelled his game on.

“Puyol, above all. From what I’ve been able to talk to him about, what I saw from him since I was a child, what he conveyed. And Mascherano too. They are two people who led by example, with sacrifice, intelligent on the field, and who gave their all. I do have a closer relationship with Puyi. He has always tried to help me; he’s approachable, and we have mutual acquaintances.”

“[Puyol has helped me] Regarding the right attitude and commitment. With hard work, things can be achieved. He is the prime example.”

Garcia’s versatility

Garcia started off the season playing at right-back, where he filled in well for Jules Kounde last season, before getting games in midfield. The majority of his appearances have been as a central defender this year though, his natural position.

“I’ve always liked adapting. My year in Girona opened me up to that. Now it’s almost normal, especially at the beginning of the season. Less so from December onwards, but it helps you grow and is useful for the team.”

“I’ve always played centre-back. I feel comfortable at full-back; I played almost all my time there at Girona. I find it most difficult to play as a defensive midfielder, but I adapt depending on the type of match.”

With Frenkie de Jong’s recent injury, Flick may decide to utilise Garcia in midfield again. That said, it seems his preferred partnership is between Garcia and Pau Cubarsi at the back, meaning Barcelona would have to try and blood a partnership between Ronald Araujo and Cubarsi at a crucial point of the season.