The legendary Roberto Carlos was our special guest during the SBC Summit in Barcelona. Additionally, he shared his football stories and opinions with us, interviewed by Guillem Balagué. In this fascinating conversation, Gulliem Balagué asks about Roberto's moments of glory but also wants to know his insight about current events happening in the world of football. Carlos takes us back to his famous free kick in the match against France in 1997, describes the atmosphere at Real Madrid in the past and present and tells us a bit more about his current activities. He also shares some thoughts on the upcoming Ballon d'Or and Real Madrid's matches. Listen to this captivating interview and get to know the master of the left-wing a little bit better.
Good morning. We are in Madrid. As you know, I work as an ambassador for Real Madrid. On the weekend, we’re going to Sevilla, then we’re going to Braga and afterwards - to Barcelona. It’s an important week.
Guillem Balagué:
In fact, what we are going to talk about first of all is the most important game of the year. Is it right to define it like that? Is the Clásico the most important?
Roberto Carlos:
I wouldn’t say it’s the most important because all matches during the season are important for a club like Real Madrid. But it is clear that this one sets a benchmark for the season. A match like this always motivates the players and shows them at their best moment.
Guillem Balagué:
Would you like to play it now? Can we go back to the times when you played it? Would you like that?
Roberto Carlos:
It would be great, let’s go!
Guillem Balagué:
Where can we start? Maybe with the goals you scored. You scored 3 goals in the Clásico, right?
Roberto Carlos:
Yes, three goals. The first here at Santiago Bernabéu. The second from outside the box. And the third one I scored... Let me think... Also it was one of the times we won in Barcelona - a pass from Zizou and I scored that goal.
Guillem Balagu:
I have noted here that you scored one goal at Bernabéu and another one at Camp Nou.
Roberto Carlos:
Yes.
Guillem Balagué:
Two great goals. But the third one… it was an own goal.
Roberto Carlos:
No, it was not an own goal. There was a ball for Samuel Eto'o and I was looking at it and I didn't see that Iker was coming. And at the end we two focused on the ball and Eto'o... Well, I was almost inside the gate but Eto'o scored this goal.
Guillem Balagué:
All right, we won’t count it then…
Roberto Carlos:
This one we don’t count as an own goal.
Guillem Balagué:
Perfect. What kind of memories does the Clásico bring back to you? When you’re thinking about the Clásico, what do you think of: going out onto the pitch, the noise, the inner tension? What comes to your mind?
Roberto Carlos:
A bit of everything. To be able to play matches like that, you have to prepare very well during the week, even if you have Champions League matches. With a match against Barcelona the motivation is always different. The preparation is different. It’s easier when we play at Santiago Bernabéu. And when we’re meant to play in Barcelona, the preparation is always different because you never know how Barça is going to play. If they will be more offensive or more defensive, if they will have the possession of the ball or if they will give it to you so you can attack them. Playing against Barcelona has always been difficult. It has always been a complicated team and that’s why we haven’t won many times in Barcelona. We've won a very few times there but at the Bernabéu, and during the eleven seasons I've played here, we've lost only once. Ronaldinho's great game, I don't know if you remember.
Guillem Balagué:
Mhm.
Roberto Carlos:
So we’re winning here easily and to win there, it has always been complicated. But the preparation is very special. I’m from the time when Luis Figo played in Barcelona’s shirt and I prepared myself a lot. I couldn’t sleep thinking how to score him a goal. For me, it was difficult because Figo was the most important player of his time.
Guillem Balagué:
And the day you found out he’s transferring to Madrid was a relief, right?
Roberto Carlos:
I always say that I’m very grateful to our president don Florentino Peréz for signing him and bringing him to play with me.
Guillem Balagué:
You say you remember the Ronaldinho game. We all remember it. I thought maybe you had a selective memory and maybe you forgot the not so good things. But if you remember everything, I suppose you also recall that you were sent off once.
Roberto Carlos:
I think I was sent off two times in Barcelona. Once in the 6th minute and once in the 20th minute, right?
Guillem Balagué:
Mhm.
Roberto Carlos:
But then I didn’t really understand the reason because I prepared myself for the whole week to the match of this level. I don't know what the referees' preparations are for deciding a match or sending a player off the pitch or not whistling for a penalty. But we all are human beings, I have nothing against the referees that sent me off. Now when I meet many of them here, during the matches of Champions or Liga, they say sorry to me. And I get along well with everyone because in the end these were decisions that maybe I didn't understand at the time but… During the matches like the Clásico, the less the referee appears, the better. Everyone sees the error of the player who trains during the whole week for this game and ends in 20 or 6 minutes. Sometimes it’s better to talk to such a player, to make different decisions during a match of this level. And there were referees who at that time liked to be a bit more of a protagonist than the players and I have never liked that very much.
Guillem Balagué:
What you are asking for is the referee's understanding of the fact that it is a unique match. Logically, your head goes a thousand miles a minute so your heart does. And if a decision of this calibre is going to be taken, such as a sending off a player with two yellow cards for protesting, for example, they should only think twice, right?
Roberto Carlos:
Of course. And there wasn't a clear goal-scoring opportunity either. These were wing plays or confrontations with the referee where you see one situation and the referee sees it differently, so on and on. There are not a lot of referees who manage well in matches of this level, of this greatness. And there are some that would rather prejudice against your team than talk to a player. Let a player apologise for a possible tackle or a possible hand movement inside the box. I think football is getting better and better. During my days, I suffered a lot because of my velocity. I was going for the plays. But in the end the best thing of all was getting out with Brazil or playing in the Clásico. For me it has been a dream to play matches at this level, to be the Champions League winner or the world champion. This is worth more than a red card.
Guillem Balagué:
What you are saying anyway, is that in the Clásico you have to know how to control your emotions. I guess you played better the older you were. Nowadays players are younger. There must be players who don't know how to handle all that, right? You must have come across a lot of them, both at Barça and Madrid.
Roberto Carlos:
Yes, because as I said before, it’s a very special match. So is the preparation of the player. When it comes to the referee, I repeat, I don’t know. But in a game like that you have to make a show. The public comes to see goals and kicks. Everything surrounding Madrid-Barça, Barça-Madrid, you have to know how to do it very well because everyone will be watching, everyone will be paying attention to this match. That’s what they’re paying for - to see great players, players with rich history. It’s a very special match for the players as well and it affects everyone. Everyone wants to watch Madrid-Barça because it is the most important match of the season for many. Not for the players though, and other people from the club because the season is decided in home games and against the teams that are fighting for the league. Because in the end, a game like Real Madrid-Barcelona doesn't decide the season. It is decided in matches against the other teams that take points from you or that you can win points at home and away.
Guillem Balagué:
You have a lot of friends of tremendous quality but there’s one relation that fascinates me the most. I mean your friendship with David Beckham. You didn’t speak English, he didn’t speak Spanish and yet you had a magnificent connection. Tell us a bit more about David, your relationship with him and how you shared the matches of the Clásico. I don't know if you had to explain to him in your own way what it was like.
Roberto Carlos:
My friendship with David… Most people know about it and can watch it in the recent documentary series. When it comes to language differences… We knew only by looking at each other what he had to do. It’s a real friendship. When he signed for Real Madrid, I think I was one of the first to embrace him and welcome him. And really, he is one of the best friends I ever had and a great football player. A lot of people say Beckham was more of an image but for us, here at the club, he has been an example, a leader, a fantastic person. And a lot of people don’t know the real David Beckham. I was lucky and privileged to be by his side for a long time. Both in training here in Madrid and with his family at home. It’s a true friendship of people from different countries and cultures that in the end turned out great. Whenever I see him here in Madrid, it’s a great feeling to know he’s happy. Now he’s the president of Inter Miami. But he’s still my friend. I’ll never see him first as a football player, a president or an investor. I see him as my friend. It makes me really thrilled, knowing that the affection and the concern that I have for him, David also has for me.
Guillem Balagué:
Now another Englishman, of another calibre and different kind of personality - Jude Bellingham, who, at the age of 20, has taken Madrid by storm and is already having his name chanted in the stands. Did it surprise you how quickly he adapted? What can you tell me about him?
Roberto Carlos:
The adaptation of foreign players here in this club is very special. At Real Madrid, and I have been here since 1996, they have opened their arms to welcome me in the same way - Fernando Hierro, Fernando Redondo, Manolo Sanchís, Paco Buyo and many more. During my time we did the same with Seedorf, Mijatović and other players. Now I’m an ambassador and we did the same with Rodrygo, Vini, Jude, Courtois, with all these young players that came to us and didn’t know the mentality of the club at first. We make their lives easier. We explain the culture of Real Madrid, that here we always have to win and you have to adapt as quickly as possible. We let them listen to the veterans. Bellingham is showing the way he really is. He is a modern Englishman, a great football player and a person who wants to learn. The other day he said during the interview that he wants to play in our shirt for 15 years. For us, people who have been here for a long time, it’s a great pleasure to hear that from such a young man, of such potential and personality. He adapted really quickly. I think Real Madrid fans are very happy with him. Look how many matches he played and every time he is the best player of the game. But we cannot forget that here, at Real Madrid, we don't just live off one player. It’s always been a family. At Real Madrid, everybody always wins together. We also lose together and, of course, there is always one player that sets a benchmark for others, with a goal or a pass. But that’s something that makes Real Madrid unique. That here we are working together to make our fans happy. It’s an extraordinary club.
Guillem Balagué:
Roberto, do you think Jude is similar to Zidane? He sometimes plays like Zidane, right?
Roberto Carlos:
Everyone has their own style of play. For example, I’m a bit like Marcelo but Marcelo has better quality than me. If I had the quality of Marcelo I would be the best player in the world for many years. But Bellingham… I don’t know, to be honest. He has a bit of each player, maybe he plays a bit like Zizou, maybe at certain moments he plays a bit more like Raul's definition. The intelligence of Fernando Redondo. I always say that every footballer has their own style of play. And that’s why I see a bit of every player in him. He has amazing qualities.
Guillem Balagué:
On the other side, at Barça, we'll see if Robert Lewandowski makes it to the game but if he does, he's the opposition's big threat, isn't he?
Roberto Carlos:
Maybe, maybe. To be honest, there are players, there are clubs and there are matches. It all depends. The good thing about every player here - especially about the players who have arrived this year to Madrid - is that they’re winning more and more in every game. And look how they’re playing. They still have a margin of growth, these young boys, when it comes to small things. I remember when I came to Madrid in ‘96, ‘97. I wanted to immediately play in all matches, I wanted to play at my best level. Today they know that they’re growing with each match and it’s clear that during important matches you can see the value of such a player.
Guillem Balagué:
How do you see Barça at the moment? Sometimes there is the impression that the results are above the game. But logically they are still at the top.
Roberto Carlos:
There will always be an important rival that can play well or badly. They have their history. It’s a club respected all over the world. It’s difficult to talk about it from the outside. We can see in the news that, unfortunately, they have a lot of injured players. We don’t like that. It happened to us as well with Militão, Courtois and Vini that recently suffered from a fracture. He is now playing and getting back to being the old Vini. Barcelona will always be our rival to beat and this club deserves a lot of respect.
Guillem Balagué:
I've heard you talk about how you admire the Premier League, or that you follow it at least. What do you like about it?
Roberto Carlos:
The atmosphere of the stadium because the fans really participate in the matches. It doesn’t matter if it’s Liverpool, Chelsea, United, City or any other match - the audience is always very active. Another important thing are the retransmissions, also with ex-players participating and other people that understand the game. They’re making this mixture of journalism and knowledge of ex-players, which I really like. Thanks to that, the fans at half-time... Before the match, half-time and post-match, they understand football a little bit better. The experts share their opinions, ones more from the inside and others from the outside, and it helps to see more. In short, the Premier League shows exactly what modern football is all about. There’s a bit of everything - of the transmissions, the fans, the community, the locker room talks, the atmosphere. We’re also doing something like that in Spain at the moment and I really like it.
Guillem Balagué:
It's a pleasure to know that an insider, the legendary footballer like you, understands that it's all a show. Everything is part of the show, that we are all part of the show.
Roberto Carlos:
Yes…
Guillem Balagué:
And…
Roberto Carlos:
Go on, go on.
Guillem Balagué:
I just wanted to ask, when it comes to the game, what do you think makes the Premier League different from the Spanish one? What are the biggest differences?
Roberto Carlos:
I think there was a very big evolution in English football. I remember the English football being based only on the scheme of attacking the goal and another ball. Now we can see players controlling the passes, games of maximum speed and of high intensity. I like it very much. That’s something that Spanish football has always been about - the intensity and many goal opportunities. Except some matches but you can see that in the statistics and I don’t believe much in the stats. We don’t only care about the result 1-0 or 0-1. It’s been a big change in the last few years and it happened because the fans go to the stadium to see many goals scored by their idols. That’s the evolution of modern football.
Guillem Balagué:
In fact, in the English league you have all kinds of styles of play. Klopp’s style is not the same as Guardiola’s, Mikel Arteta’s is not the same as Ange’s at Tottenham. Which style do you like to watch the most?
Roberto Carlos:
Ancelotti’s. If you take a look at Liverpool led by Klopp, their style of play is very similar to Real Madrid’s. Younger coaches are more defensive, they’re playing more against the attack. In the case of more experienced coaches, they don’t care. They make a team simply play and if something weird happens, they know how to change their players to being more defensive. It depends on every coach and I think here, in Madrid, we have a benchmark set on a world-class level. Ancelotti wins a lot of matches. He is one of the winning coaches because he is not short-sighted, he is not saying “we’re going to win 2-0 only because of this or that”. He is preparing his team saying “if we will be winning, we’re playing the same but if we will be losing, we’re changing this or that”, and his team knows what to do. This and a good atmosphere in the group are my experiences.
Guillem Balagué:
Were you close to joining Aston Villa?
Roberto Carlos:
Some time ago. I was 20 or 21 back then. We started with Aston Villa when I was meant to play in Brazil's national team. And then Chelsea in 2007, when I left Real Madrid. I had an opportunity to play in England and I spoke to Abramóvich about the situation. We haven't reached an agreement because of the smallest details. But yes, Aston Villa and Chelsea were the clubs that were interested in me.
Guillem Balagué:
Do you look in particular at full-backs and the development of full-backs in the Premier League, for example? Are there any players that you particularly like?
Roberto Carlos:
All of them. But not all of them are as offensive as me and Cafu used to be. There are a lot of types of full-backs, both on the left and right side of the pitch. Some teams have more offensive full-backs and others more defensive ones but in the end there’s none that would be exactly like Roberto Carlos. They are all very good, most of them are playing for the national team, and there was the one left-side from the England national team…
Guillem Balagué:
Trippier.
Roberto Carlos:
Exactly. We can see an evolution. I wouldn’t manage to play on the right side but Trippier, in modern football, is able to play on the left side. And he has an amazing personality. All the full-back players are very good. And I hope that they will send me messages saying "thank you for talking about us", because if I talk about only one and forget about the others, then I get messages that I don't like them.
Guillem Balagué:
I'm curious to know what you think about the following. Cancelo, for example, who logically belongs to Manchester City, is now at Barça. He is one of their full-backs who has evolved into a midfielder when they attack. He gets in the centre, sometimes he appears as a nine. You did appear like that as well, you were the three, but sometimes you also played as a winger and in the centre, but usually in the box. Would you have adapted or would you have liked to participate in this way of being a full-back, of being a midfielder and playing a lot with the ball?
Roberto Carlos:
No, I was terrible with the ball. That’s why I’ve been passing to Zizou, Beckham or Figo. I played a lot without the ball. Marcelo liked to play as a full-back, as a midfielder or as a winger. My thing was to close down the midfielder on the left side and leave me the whole flank to run, because I liked to play a lot without the ball.
Guillem Balagué:
Let's take a closer look at world-class football and the Ballon d'Or is awarded on 30 October. There are two clear favourites - Messi and Haaland. Who would you give it to?
Roberto Carlos:
It’s hard to tell because even if I say something, it won’t change anything. In the end it’s not my decision. I can give my opinions, as they are two great players, both Messi and Haaland. May the best one win. Messi will always be Messi. He sets a benchmark for all the young players that want to have fun in the box. Leo has to be seen. And Haaland sets a benchmark for City, not that much for Norway national team because of what happened in the match against Spain. But Haaland is a modern attacker, very strong, who scores a lot. If someone wants to see goals in the Premier League, they watch City’s match. It’s going to be an exciting dispute of the experience against the youth. May the best one win.
Guillem Balagué:
How many times have you been asked about the free kick from the match against France in 1997?
Roberto Carlos:
Many times.
Guillem Balagué:
I remember talking about it with you in detail. We spent about 45 minutes talking only about this moment. Of everything you told me, what stuck with me the most is how you decided to place the ball.
Roberto Carlos:
Yes.
Guillem Balagué:
Tell me about it one more time.
Roberto Carlos:
That's all a matter of training, children can learn it. It has nothing to do with it. The most important things are your supporting foot and the shot. You put the ball in the way you want it. I always put the ball with the valve turned towards me because I thought the ball was moving in front of the goalkeeper. But the questions are always the same - how did I do it? I don't know. It has been an enlightened day.
Guillem Balagué:
Have you ever tried to repeat it? Did you manage to do it?
Roberto Carlos:
I’ve tried many times and I couldn’t.
Guillem Balagué:
Interesting. Is there any scientific study that explains how it happened? Or is there anything that can be taken out as an explanation so that young players can almost repeat it?
Roberto Carlos:
No. I’ve heard many people commenting on the science behind it, what the ball did, about my support foot, about the movement of the left foot. But it was just me and I scored the goal. I don't know how I did it so the science won’t explain it. I’ve seen many photos and videos and what the ball did there was incredible. It went so far over the wall. I think the wind also helped me a bit to place this ball in the net.
Guillem Balagué:
And the beauty of it all is that that's exactly football. It's a great mystery and that's why we're attracted to it, isn't it?
Roberto Carlos:
That’s what football is. It’s a special sport and we, who make our living from it, learn new things every day. Football is very unique.
Guillem Balagué:
Don't you have the feeling that as a footballer like you, who sometimes let himself be led by intuition and many times adapted to the situation, who perhaps had less academy and more natural talent, that this kind of approach is being abandoned?
Roberto Carlos:
It’s possible. But a lot depends on the coaches. I saw it when I was playing in Madrid, even in my times. There are coaches who prefer tactics and others who prefer strength over technique. That depends on every individual. Each of them have their own approach. I don't think Madrid would change, because of the history of this club. Playing football more gently, a more defensive system is not our style. Every club and every coach has their own philosophy and I know this club very well. I work here and I know we will never lose this essence of modern football, with speed, with dribbles, with hats, with runs, because the public wants to see a show and here at the Bernabéu it's different.
Guillem Balagué:
Your teammates, from the time when you won titles, are now coaches or decision-makers in important positions. But let’s stick to the coaches, who do you see as having the chance to go this way? Logically, Zidane has already triumphed. Were you surprised or not?
Roberto Carlos:
No, I wasn’t surprised at all because even when Zizou played, he was very calm and learnt a lot from the games. And of course, as a coach, he has some history, right? Champions League, La Liga, Super Cup, Intercontinental, in short. I'm not surprised at all because Zizou has been a reference on and off the pitch. He knew how to lead in the locker room. And I think his experience with Ancelotti helped him - we also have to appreciate him as a coach. So it was a good combination for him to win so many titles.
Guillem Balagué:
Who else? Raúl?
Roberto Carlos:
Raúl is on a good path with Castilla. He also knows the history of this club well, he became a champion there. The only time Madrid won the Youth League, they won it with Raúl. And he's been teaching Real Madrid's youth team how to position themselves on and off the pitch. He is a person and a coach who will be very successful because he always likes to win.
Guillem Balagué:
We're not going to convince Figo to coach, right?
Roberto Carlos:
No, it's better not to talk about Luis, because Luis is more... he's more of a tie like me.
Guillem Balagué:
Well, you've been training too. What do you enjoy more? Training or being in the office? Or working as an ambassador?
Roberto Carlos:
Working as an ambassador is the most fun. I work more now than when I played. Then it was two hours of training and then playing at the weekend. Today I start at 8 o'clock in the morning and I have the phone in my hand all the time to check if I'm called for some event representing Real Madrid. I joke about it a lot, but I'm happy to be a Real Madrid ambassador and tell about the club's history, travel with the team. The photos that Emilio doesn't take, I have to take. It's great fun and I'm delighted and grateful to our president for bringing me here.
Guillem Balagué:
And we have Ronaldo as president, as the owner of a football club. Did you imagine that too?
Roberto Carlos:
Of two, both Cruzeiro and Valladolid. Yes, I've always seen Rony as a president because he positions himself as a president. On the pitch he has been number one and off the pitch he is gradually improving with Cruzeiro and Valladolid, even though he is in the second division. He already brings something new, a modernity and all the history he has. Building a new stadium, a modern sports city… In short, Rony is very special.
Guillem Balagué:
With Ronaldo you won a World Cup and that feeling of triumph at the World Cup... When it happens, logically it's an immense joy. But as the years go by, you actually realise what an incredible feeling it is, right?
Roberto Carlos:
Yes. When you stop playing football is when you realise how much you have done. Yesterday I was talking to a friend of mine here in Madrid and he asked me a lot about what it's like to win the Champions League, to win the World Cup, the Intercontinental. And I explained to him that when you are active, and I see it today in our players, you are just focused on playing football. But when you stop, you look back and you can see your whole career - the number of games you have played, the ones you have won, how many you have lost, the number of titles you have and how many you have lost. The life of a footballer is a lot of fun and in itself it is a winning title. And I always say, I've been lucky enough to play for my national team, five times world champions, and to play for Real Madrid. At Madrid it's always that competition (Champions League). We went 32 years without winning it, and in '96, '97, '98 we won it again. So that's what brings me joy, to wear the green and yellow shirt and, of course, to wear the Real Madrid crest on my chest, which is not so easy.
Guillem Balagué:
I don't know if it will be easy for you to choose what you are most proud of - how you managed to accomplish all of it, the impression of a great footballer you left on the field, a certain goal, a title? What are you most proud of?
Roberto Carlos:
If I would have scored that goal Mijatović scored in the final of Champions League… Do you remember? I shot at the goal, then the defence interrupted and Mijatović scored. I think this moment has left its mark on my career a bit. Of course there’s also the pass I made to Zizou, being the world’s champion with my national team. But I could have won world’s championships two times. We lost against France in 1998. You never speak about the best moments. It’s easier to remember things you’ve lost than those you’ve won. But the history is there. I think that everything I've experienced in my life… Of course I remember the great moments but at the same time I feel a certain sadness for not having won '98, for not having scored the goal against Juve in the Champions League final. And the rest is all good, to have an opportunity to play with the best, to have been coached by the best, to get to know the world of real and true football. That people treated me with so much affection and respect. These are the good things. I have no bitterness about anything and I am very happy and proud to have lived the 27 years of my career always surrounded by good people.
Guillem Balagué:
And I always get the impression talking to you that what you do is not a job, that you still have a lot of passion for football, for the game and for being involved in it all. So, on that note, congratulations Roberto and, as always, a pleasure to talk to you.
Roberto Carlos:
Likewise. Football has taught me a lot. And those who have known Roberto Carlos from the beginning until today, know that I always played for the fans. I did that for people who would come to watch me play and have fun on the pitch.
Guillem Balagué:
You are a legend!
Roberto Carlos:
Thank you very much, so are you.
Guillem Balagué:
Roberto, football has many good things but the worst of all is of course injuries that can end a season or even worse. We have just seen that Neymar will not play again this season and that his injury is very serious. When you heard the news, you were shocked, I guess, weren't you?
Roberto Carlos:
I think that when we started talking about football, we talked a bit about the injuries that Courtois, Militão, and so many other players, also from Barcelona, have had. That causes us a lot of grief. And yet during the Uruguay-Brazil match, Neymar gets injured. One of the best players in the world gets injured, and why? The pitches are not good. Footballers of this kind have a lot of matches to play, a lot of long trips to take. Messi has also been injured in the match of Inter Miami the other day. Cristiano takes care of himself but I’m sure he’s struggling with muscle pain. When it comes to Neymar, we all know the reason - he stepped badly because of the state of the pitch, the physical fatigue. Sometimes one movement you make at speed can break you. The one thing he can focus on at the moment is his daughter that has just been born. I'm sure he will be happy with the family now. There are cons but also pros. He got injured and he can go six months, eight months without playing. At the same time his family will support him and give him the strength to recover as quickly as possible so he comes back because football needs him a lot.
Guillem Balagué:
I'm going to ask you one more question about the future Clásico, let's see how you see it. How do you imagine the result? Right now it seems that Madrid, Barça, Atlético de Madrid are all competing for the title, so it will have an important relevance, but how do you feel about the Clásico in particular?
Roberto Carlos:
It’s complicated for both teams. If the match was scheduled to be played at the Bernabeu, I'd tell you a score that might be meaningful. But we’re playing in Barcelona. We will see how the state of mind is and how Barcelona’s players recover in this week and a half. Before Barcelona we have a match with Braga playing in Portugal. They also have an important Champions League match. In other words, of course, if you come in as league leader we give you a certain advantage. But in the Clásico it's very even. It depends on the motivation and on the moment. I'm sure it will be a great game and we're going with the maximum hope of playing a great game. Is it difficult to win there? Yes, but winning for them will also be difficult. It's going to be a very interesting match.
Guillem Balagué:
Thank you, Roberto.
Roberto Carlos:
Thank you too.
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Interview with Roberto Carlos
The legendary Roberto Carlos was our special guest during the SBC Summit in Barcelona. Additionally, he shared his football stories and opinions with us, interviewed by Guillem Balagué. In this fascinating conversation, Gulliem Balagué asks about Roberto's moments of glory but also wants to know his insight about current events happening in the world of football. Carlos takes us back to his famous free kick in the match against France in 1997, describes the atmosphere at Real Madrid in the past and present and tells us a bit more about his current activities. He also shares some thoughts on the upcoming Ballon d'Or and Real Madrid's matches. Listen to this captivating interview and get to know the master of the left-wing a little bit better.
Read this transcription in another language:
Guillem Balagué:
Good morning, where are you, Roberto Carlos?
Roberto Carlos:
Good morning. We are in Madrid. As you know, I work as an ambassador for Real Madrid. On the weekend, we’re going to Sevilla, then we’re going to Braga and afterwards - to Barcelona. It’s an important week.
Guillem Balagué:
In fact, what we are going to talk about first of all is the most important game of the year. Is it right to define it like that? Is the Clásico the most important?
Roberto Carlos:
I wouldn’t say it’s the most important because all matches during the season are important for a club like Real Madrid. But it is clear that this one sets a benchmark for the season. A match like this always motivates the players and shows them at their best moment.
Guillem Balagué:
Would you like to play it now? Can we go back to the times when you played it? Would you like that?
Roberto Carlos:
It would be great, let’s go!
Guillem Balagué:
Where can we start? Maybe with the goals you scored. You scored 3 goals in the Clásico, right?
Roberto Carlos:
Yes, three goals. The first here at Santiago Bernabéu. The second from outside the box. And the third one I scored... Let me think... Also it was one of the times we won in Barcelona - a pass from Zizou and I scored that goal.
Guillem Balagu:
I have noted here that you scored one goal at Bernabéu and another one at Camp Nou.
Roberto Carlos:
Yes.
Guillem Balagué:
Two great goals. But the third one… it was an own goal.
Roberto Carlos:
No, it was not an own goal. There was a ball for Samuel Eto'o and I was looking at it and I didn't see that Iker was coming. And at the end we two focused on the ball and Eto'o... Well, I was almost inside the gate but Eto'o scored this goal.
Guillem Balagué:
All right, we won’t count it then…
Roberto Carlos:
This one we don’t count as an own goal.
Guillem Balagué:
Perfect. What kind of memories does the Clásico bring back to you? When you’re thinking about the Clásico, what do you think of: going out onto the pitch, the noise, the inner tension? What comes to your mind?
Roberto Carlos:
A bit of everything. To be able to play matches like that, you have to prepare very well during the week, even if you have Champions League matches. With a match against Barcelona the motivation is always different. The preparation is different. It’s easier when we play at Santiago Bernabéu. And when we’re meant to play in Barcelona, the preparation is always different because you never know how Barça is going to play. If they will be more offensive or more defensive, if they will have the possession of the ball or if they will give it to you so you can attack them. Playing against Barcelona has always been difficult. It has always been a complicated team and that’s why we haven’t won many times in Barcelona. We've won a very few times there but at the Bernabéu, and during the eleven seasons I've played here, we've lost only once. Ronaldinho's great game, I don't know if you remember.
Guillem Balagué:
Mhm.
Roberto Carlos:
So we’re winning here easily and to win there, it has always been complicated. But the preparation is very special. I’m from the time when Luis Figo played in Barcelona’s shirt and I prepared myself a lot. I couldn’t sleep thinking how to score him a goal. For me, it was difficult because Figo was the most important player of his time.
Guillem Balagué:
And the day you found out he’s transferring to Madrid was a relief, right?
Roberto Carlos:
I always say that I’m very grateful to our president don Florentino Peréz for signing him and bringing him to play with me.
Guillem Balagué:
You say you remember the Ronaldinho game. We all remember it. I thought maybe you had a selective memory and maybe you forgot the not so good things. But if you remember everything, I suppose you also recall that you were sent off once.
Roberto Carlos:
I think I was sent off two times in Barcelona. Once in the 6th minute and once in the 20th minute, right?
Guillem Balagué:
Mhm.
Roberto Carlos:
But then I didn’t really understand the reason because I prepared myself for the whole week to the match of this level. I don't know what the referees' preparations are for deciding a match or sending a player off the pitch or not whistling for a penalty. But we all are human beings, I have nothing against the referees that sent me off. Now when I meet many of them here, during the matches of Champions or Liga, they say sorry to me. And I get along well with everyone because in the end these were decisions that maybe I didn't understand at the time but… During the matches like the Clásico, the less the referee appears, the better. Everyone sees the error of the player who trains during the whole week for this game and ends in 20 or 6 minutes. Sometimes it’s better to talk to such a player, to make different decisions during a match of this level. And there were referees who at that time liked to be a bit more of a protagonist than the players and I have never liked that very much.
Guillem Balagué:
What you are asking for is the referee's understanding of the fact that it is a unique match. Logically, your head goes a thousand miles a minute so your heart does. And if a decision of this calibre is going to be taken, such as a sending off a player with two yellow cards for protesting, for example, they should only think twice, right?
Roberto Carlos:
Of course. And there wasn't a clear goal-scoring opportunity either. These were wing plays or confrontations with the referee where you see one situation and the referee sees it differently, so on and on. There are not a lot of referees who manage well in matches of this level, of this greatness. And there are some that would rather prejudice against your team than talk to a player. Let a player apologise for a possible tackle or a possible hand movement inside the box. I think football is getting better and better. During my days, I suffered a lot because of my velocity. I was going for the plays. But in the end the best thing of all was getting out with Brazil or playing in the Clásico. For me it has been a dream to play matches at this level, to be the Champions League winner or the world champion. This is worth more than a red card.
Guillem Balagué:
What you are saying anyway, is that in the Clásico you have to know how to control your emotions. I guess you played better the older you were. Nowadays players are younger. There must be players who don't know how to handle all that, right? You must have come across a lot of them, both at Barça and Madrid.
Roberto Carlos:
Yes, because as I said before, it’s a very special match. So is the preparation of the player. When it comes to the referee, I repeat, I don’t know. But in a game like that you have to make a show. The public comes to see goals and kicks. Everything surrounding Madrid-Barça, Barça-Madrid, you have to know how to do it very well because everyone will be watching, everyone will be paying attention to this match. That’s what they’re paying for - to see great players, players with rich history. It’s a very special match for the players as well and it affects everyone. Everyone wants to watch Madrid-Barça because it is the most important match of the season for many. Not for the players though, and other people from the club because the season is decided in home games and against the teams that are fighting for the league. Because in the end, a game like Real Madrid-Barcelona doesn't decide the season. It is decided in matches against the other teams that take points from you or that you can win points at home and away.
Guillem Balagué:
You have a lot of friends of tremendous quality but there’s one relation that fascinates me the most. I mean your friendship with David Beckham. You didn’t speak English, he didn’t speak Spanish and yet you had a magnificent connection. Tell us a bit more about David, your relationship with him and how you shared the matches of the Clásico. I don't know if you had to explain to him in your own way what it was like.
Roberto Carlos:
My friendship with David… Most people know about it and can watch it in the recent documentary series. When it comes to language differences… We knew only by looking at each other what he had to do. It’s a real friendship. When he signed for Real Madrid, I think I was one of the first to embrace him and welcome him. And really, he is one of the best friends I ever had and a great football player. A lot of people say Beckham was more of an image but for us, here at the club, he has been an example, a leader, a fantastic person. And a lot of people don’t know the real David Beckham. I was lucky and privileged to be by his side for a long time. Both in training here in Madrid and with his family at home. It’s a true friendship of people from different countries and cultures that in the end turned out great. Whenever I see him here in Madrid, it’s a great feeling to know he’s happy. Now he’s the president of Inter Miami. But he’s still my friend. I’ll never see him first as a football player, a president or an investor. I see him as my friend. It makes me really thrilled, knowing that the affection and the concern that I have for him, David also has for me.
Guillem Balagué:
Now another Englishman, of another calibre and different kind of personality - Jude Bellingham, who, at the age of 20, has taken Madrid by storm and is already having his name chanted in the stands. Did it surprise you how quickly he adapted? What can you tell me about him?
Roberto Carlos:
The adaptation of foreign players here in this club is very special. At Real Madrid, and I have been here since 1996, they have opened their arms to welcome me in the same way - Fernando Hierro, Fernando Redondo, Manolo Sanchís, Paco Buyo and many more. During my time we did the same with Seedorf, Mijatović and other players. Now I’m an ambassador and we did the same with Rodrygo, Vini, Jude, Courtois, with all these young players that came to us and didn’t know the mentality of the club at first. We make their lives easier. We explain the culture of Real Madrid, that here we always have to win and you have to adapt as quickly as possible. We let them listen to the veterans. Bellingham is showing the way he really is. He is a modern Englishman, a great football player and a person who wants to learn. The other day he said during the interview that he wants to play in our shirt for 15 years. For us, people who have been here for a long time, it’s a great pleasure to hear that from such a young man, of such potential and personality. He adapted really quickly. I think Real Madrid fans are very happy with him. Look how many matches he played and every time he is the best player of the game. But we cannot forget that here, at Real Madrid, we don't just live off one player. It’s always been a family. At Real Madrid, everybody always wins together. We also lose together and, of course, there is always one player that sets a benchmark for others, with a goal or a pass. But that’s something that makes Real Madrid unique. That here we are working together to make our fans happy. It’s an extraordinary club.
Guillem Balagué:
Roberto, do you think Jude is similar to Zidane? He sometimes plays like Zidane, right?
Roberto Carlos:
Everyone has their own style of play. For example, I’m a bit like Marcelo but Marcelo has better quality than me. If I had the quality of Marcelo I would be the best player in the world for many years. But Bellingham… I don’t know, to be honest. He has a bit of each player, maybe he plays a bit like Zizou, maybe at certain moments he plays a bit more like Raul's definition. The intelligence of Fernando Redondo. I always say that every footballer has their own style of play. And that’s why I see a bit of every player in him. He has amazing qualities.
Guillem Balagué:
On the other side, at Barça, we'll see if Robert Lewandowski makes it to the game but if he does, he's the opposition's big threat, isn't he?
Roberto Carlos:
Maybe, maybe. To be honest, there are players, there are clubs and there are matches. It all depends. The good thing about every player here - especially about the players who have arrived this year to Madrid - is that they’re winning more and more in every game. And look how they’re playing. They still have a margin of growth, these young boys, when it comes to small things. I remember when I came to Madrid in ‘96, ‘97. I wanted to immediately play in all matches, I wanted to play at my best level. Today they know that they’re growing with each match and it’s clear that during important matches you can see the value of such a player.
Guillem Balagué:
How do you see Barça at the moment? Sometimes there is the impression that the results are above the game. But logically they are still at the top.
Roberto Carlos:
There will always be an important rival that can play well or badly. They have their history. It’s a club respected all over the world. It’s difficult to talk about it from the outside. We can see in the news that, unfortunately, they have a lot of injured players. We don’t like that. It happened to us as well with Militão, Courtois and Vini that recently suffered from a fracture. He is now playing and getting back to being the old Vini. Barcelona will always be our rival to beat and this club deserves a lot of respect.
Guillem Balagué:
I've heard you talk about how you admire the Premier League, or that you follow it at least. What do you like about it?
Roberto Carlos:
The atmosphere of the stadium because the fans really participate in the matches. It doesn’t matter if it’s Liverpool, Chelsea, United, City or any other match - the audience is always very active. Another important thing are the retransmissions, also with ex-players participating and other people that understand the game. They’re making this mixture of journalism and knowledge of ex-players, which I really like. Thanks to that, the fans at half-time... Before the match, half-time and post-match, they understand football a little bit better. The experts share their opinions, ones more from the inside and others from the outside, and it helps to see more. In short, the Premier League shows exactly what modern football is all about. There’s a bit of everything - of the transmissions, the fans, the community, the locker room talks, the atmosphere. We’re also doing something like that in Spain at the moment and I really like it.
Guillem Balagué:
It's a pleasure to know that an insider, the legendary footballer like you, understands that it's all a show. Everything is part of the show, that we are all part of the show.
Roberto Carlos:
Yes…
Guillem Balagué:
And…
Roberto Carlos:
Go on, go on.
Guillem Balagué:
I just wanted to ask, when it comes to the game, what do you think makes the Premier League different from the Spanish one? What are the biggest differences?
Roberto Carlos:
I think there was a very big evolution in English football. I remember the English football being based only on the scheme of attacking the goal and another ball. Now we can see players controlling the passes, games of maximum speed and of high intensity. I like it very much. That’s something that Spanish football has always been about - the intensity and many goal opportunities. Except some matches but you can see that in the statistics and I don’t believe much in the stats. We don’t only care about the result 1-0 or 0-1. It’s been a big change in the last few years and it happened because the fans go to the stadium to see many goals scored by their idols. That’s the evolution of modern football.
Guillem Balagué:
In fact, in the English league you have all kinds of styles of play. Klopp’s style is not the same as Guardiola’s, Mikel Arteta’s is not the same as Ange’s at Tottenham. Which style do you like to watch the most?
Roberto Carlos:
Ancelotti’s. If you take a look at Liverpool led by Klopp, their style of play is very similar to Real Madrid’s. Younger coaches are more defensive, they’re playing more against the attack. In the case of more experienced coaches, they don’t care. They make a team simply play and if something weird happens, they know how to change their players to being more defensive. It depends on every coach and I think here, in Madrid, we have a benchmark set on a world-class level. Ancelotti wins a lot of matches. He is one of the winning coaches because he is not short-sighted, he is not saying “we’re going to win 2-0 only because of this or that”. He is preparing his team saying “if we will be winning, we’re playing the same but if we will be losing, we’re changing this or that”, and his team knows what to do. This and a good atmosphere in the group are my experiences.
Guillem Balagué:
Were you close to joining Aston Villa?
Roberto Carlos:
Some time ago. I was 20 or 21 back then. We started with Aston Villa when I was meant to play in Brazil's national team. And then Chelsea in 2007, when I left Real Madrid. I had an opportunity to play in England and I spoke to Abramóvich about the situation. We haven't reached an agreement because of the smallest details. But yes, Aston Villa and Chelsea were the clubs that were interested in me.
Guillem Balagué:
Do you look in particular at full-backs and the development of full-backs in the Premier League, for example? Are there any players that you particularly like?
Roberto Carlos:
All of them. But not all of them are as offensive as me and Cafu used to be. There are a lot of types of full-backs, both on the left and right side of the pitch. Some teams have more offensive full-backs and others more defensive ones but in the end there’s none that would be exactly like Roberto Carlos. They are all very good, most of them are playing for the national team, and there was the one left-side from the England national team…
Guillem Balagué:
Trippier.
Roberto Carlos:
Exactly. We can see an evolution. I wouldn’t manage to play on the right side but Trippier, in modern football, is able to play on the left side. And he has an amazing personality. All the full-back players are very good. And I hope that they will send me messages saying "thank you for talking about us", because if I talk about only one and forget about the others, then I get messages that I don't like them.
Guillem Balagué:
I'm curious to know what you think about the following. Cancelo, for example, who logically belongs to Manchester City, is now at Barça. He is one of their full-backs who has evolved into a midfielder when they attack. He gets in the centre, sometimes he appears as a nine. You did appear like that as well, you were the three, but sometimes you also played as a winger and in the centre, but usually in the box. Would you have adapted or would you have liked to participate in this way of being a full-back, of being a midfielder and playing a lot with the ball?
Roberto Carlos:
No, I was terrible with the ball. That’s why I’ve been passing to Zizou, Beckham or Figo. I played a lot without the ball. Marcelo liked to play as a full-back, as a midfielder or as a winger. My thing was to close down the midfielder on the left side and leave me the whole flank to run, because I liked to play a lot without the ball.
Guillem Balagué:
Let's take a closer look at world-class football and the Ballon d'Or is awarded on 30 October. There are two clear favourites - Messi and Haaland. Who would you give it to?
Roberto Carlos:
It’s hard to tell because even if I say something, it won’t change anything. In the end it’s not my decision. I can give my opinions, as they are two great players, both Messi and Haaland. May the best one win. Messi will always be Messi. He sets a benchmark for all the young players that want to have fun in the box. Leo has to be seen. And Haaland sets a benchmark for City, not that much for Norway national team because of what happened in the match against Spain. But Haaland is a modern attacker, very strong, who scores a lot. If someone wants to see goals in the Premier League, they watch City’s match. It’s going to be an exciting dispute of the experience against the youth. May the best one win.
Guillem Balagué:
How many times have you been asked about the free kick from the match against France in 1997?
Roberto Carlos:
Many times.
Guillem Balagué:
I remember talking about it with you in detail. We spent about 45 minutes talking only about this moment. Of everything you told me, what stuck with me the most is how you decided to place the ball.
Roberto Carlos:
Yes.
Guillem Balagué:
Tell me about it one more time.
Roberto Carlos:
That's all a matter of training, children can learn it. It has nothing to do with it. The most important things are your supporting foot and the shot. You put the ball in the way you want it. I always put the ball with the valve turned towards me because I thought the ball was moving in front of the goalkeeper. But the questions are always the same - how did I do it? I don't know. It has been an enlightened day.
Guillem Balagué:
Have you ever tried to repeat it? Did you manage to do it?
Roberto Carlos:
I’ve tried many times and I couldn’t.
Guillem Balagué:
Interesting. Is there any scientific study that explains how it happened? Or is there anything that can be taken out as an explanation so that young players can almost repeat it?
Roberto Carlos:
No. I’ve heard many people commenting on the science behind it, what the ball did, about my support foot, about the movement of the left foot. But it was just me and I scored the goal. I don't know how I did it so the science won’t explain it. I’ve seen many photos and videos and what the ball did there was incredible. It went so far over the wall. I think the wind also helped me a bit to place this ball in the net.
Guillem Balagué:
And the beauty of it all is that that's exactly football. It's a great mystery and that's why we're attracted to it, isn't it?
Roberto Carlos:
That’s what football is. It’s a special sport and we, who make our living from it, learn new things every day. Football is very unique.
Guillem Balagué:
Don't you have the feeling that as a footballer like you, who sometimes let himself be led by intuition and many times adapted to the situation, who perhaps had less academy and more natural talent, that this kind of approach is being abandoned?
Roberto Carlos:
It’s possible. But a lot depends on the coaches. I saw it when I was playing in Madrid, even in my times. There are coaches who prefer tactics and others who prefer strength over technique. That depends on every individual. Each of them have their own approach. I don't think Madrid would change, because of the history of this club. Playing football more gently, a more defensive system is not our style. Every club and every coach has their own philosophy and I know this club very well. I work here and I know we will never lose this essence of modern football, with speed, with dribbles, with hats, with runs, because the public wants to see a show and here at the Bernabéu it's different.
Guillem Balagué:
Your teammates, from the time when you won titles, are now coaches or decision-makers in important positions. But let’s stick to the coaches, who do you see as having the chance to go this way? Logically, Zidane has already triumphed. Were you surprised or not?
Roberto Carlos:
No, I wasn’t surprised at all because even when Zizou played, he was very calm and learnt a lot from the games. And of course, as a coach, he has some history, right? Champions League, La Liga, Super Cup, Intercontinental, in short. I'm not surprised at all because Zizou has been a reference on and off the pitch. He knew how to lead in the locker room. And I think his experience with Ancelotti helped him - we also have to appreciate him as a coach. So it was a good combination for him to win so many titles.
Guillem Balagué:
Who else? Raúl?
Roberto Carlos:
Raúl is on a good path with Castilla. He also knows the history of this club well, he became a champion there. The only time Madrid won the Youth League, they won it with Raúl. And he's been teaching Real Madrid's youth team how to position themselves on and off the pitch. He is a person and a coach who will be very successful because he always likes to win.
Guillem Balagué:
We're not going to convince Figo to coach, right?
Roberto Carlos:
No, it's better not to talk about Luis, because Luis is more... he's more of a tie like me.
Guillem Balagué:
Well, you've been training too. What do you enjoy more? Training or being in the office? Or working as an ambassador?
Roberto Carlos:
Working as an ambassador is the most fun. I work more now than when I played. Then it was two hours of training and then playing at the weekend. Today I start at 8 o'clock in the morning and I have the phone in my hand all the time to check if I'm called for some event representing Real Madrid. I joke about it a lot, but I'm happy to be a Real Madrid ambassador and tell about the club's history, travel with the team. The photos that Emilio doesn't take, I have to take. It's great fun and I'm delighted and grateful to our president for bringing me here.
Guillem Balagué:
And we have Ronaldo as president, as the owner of a football club. Did you imagine that too?
Roberto Carlos:
Of two, both Cruzeiro and Valladolid. Yes, I've always seen Rony as a president because he positions himself as a president. On the pitch he has been number one and off the pitch he is gradually improving with Cruzeiro and Valladolid, even though he is in the second division. He already brings something new, a modernity and all the history he has. Building a new stadium, a modern sports city… In short, Rony is very special.
Guillem Balagué:
With Ronaldo you won a World Cup and that feeling of triumph at the World Cup... When it happens, logically it's an immense joy. But as the years go by, you actually realise what an incredible feeling it is, right?
Roberto Carlos:
Yes. When you stop playing football is when you realise how much you have done. Yesterday I was talking to a friend of mine here in Madrid and he asked me a lot about what it's like to win the Champions League, to win the World Cup, the Intercontinental. And I explained to him that when you are active, and I see it today in our players, you are just focused on playing football. But when you stop, you look back and you can see your whole career - the number of games you have played, the ones you have won, how many you have lost, the number of titles you have and how many you have lost. The life of a footballer is a lot of fun and in itself it is a winning title. And I always say, I've been lucky enough to play for my national team, five times world champions, and to play for Real Madrid. At Madrid it's always that competition (Champions League). We went 32 years without winning it, and in '96, '97, '98 we won it again. So that's what brings me joy, to wear the green and yellow shirt and, of course, to wear the Real Madrid crest on my chest, which is not so easy.
Guillem Balagué:
I don't know if it will be easy for you to choose what you are most proud of - how you managed to accomplish all of it, the impression of a great footballer you left on the field, a certain goal, a title? What are you most proud of?
Roberto Carlos:
If I would have scored that goal Mijatović scored in the final of Champions League… Do you remember? I shot at the goal, then the defence interrupted and Mijatović scored. I think this moment has left its mark on my career a bit. Of course there’s also the pass I made to Zizou, being the world’s champion with my national team. But I could have won world’s championships two times. We lost against France in 1998. You never speak about the best moments. It’s easier to remember things you’ve lost than those you’ve won. But the history is there. I think that everything I've experienced in my life… Of course I remember the great moments but at the same time I feel a certain sadness for not having won '98, for not having scored the goal against Juve in the Champions League final. And the rest is all good, to have an opportunity to play with the best, to have been coached by the best, to get to know the world of real and true football. That people treated me with so much affection and respect. These are the good things. I have no bitterness about anything and I am very happy and proud to have lived the 27 years of my career always surrounded by good people.
Guillem Balagué:
And I always get the impression talking to you that what you do is not a job, that you still have a lot of passion for football, for the game and for being involved in it all. So, on that note, congratulations Roberto and, as always, a pleasure to talk to you.
Roberto Carlos:
Likewise. Football has taught me a lot. And those who have known Roberto Carlos from the beginning until today, know that I always played for the fans. I did that for people who would come to watch me play and have fun on the pitch.
Guillem Balagué:
You are a legend!
Roberto Carlos:
Thank you very much, so are you.
Guillem Balagué:
Roberto, football has many good things but the worst of all is of course injuries that can end a season or even worse. We have just seen that Neymar will not play again this season and that his injury is very serious. When you heard the news, you were shocked, I guess, weren't you?
Roberto Carlos:
I think that when we started talking about football, we talked a bit about the injuries that Courtois, Militão, and so many other players, also from Barcelona, have had. That causes us a lot of grief. And yet during the Uruguay-Brazil match, Neymar gets injured. One of the best players in the world gets injured, and why? The pitches are not good. Footballers of this kind have a lot of matches to play, a lot of long trips to take. Messi has also been injured in the match of Inter Miami the other day. Cristiano takes care of himself but I’m sure he’s struggling with muscle pain. When it comes to Neymar, we all know the reason - he stepped badly because of the state of the pitch, the physical fatigue. Sometimes one movement you make at speed can break you. The one thing he can focus on at the moment is his daughter that has just been born. I'm sure he will be happy with the family now. There are cons but also pros. He got injured and he can go six months, eight months without playing. At the same time his family will support him and give him the strength to recover as quickly as possible so he comes back because football needs him a lot.
Guillem Balagué:
I'm going to ask you one more question about the future Clásico, let's see how you see it. How do you imagine the result? Right now it seems that Madrid, Barça, Atlético de Madrid are all competing for the title, so it will have an important relevance, but how do you feel about the Clásico in particular?
Roberto Carlos:
It’s complicated for both teams. If the match was scheduled to be played at the Bernabeu, I'd tell you a score that might be meaningful. But we’re playing in Barcelona. We will see how the state of mind is and how Barcelona’s players recover in this week and a half. Before Barcelona we have a match with Braga playing in Portugal. They also have an important Champions League match. In other words, of course, if you come in as league leader we give you a certain advantage. But in the Clásico it's very even. It depends on the motivation and on the moment. I'm sure it will be a great game and we're going with the maximum hope of playing a great game. Is it difficult to win there? Yes, but winning for them will also be difficult. It's going to be a very interesting match.
Guillem Balagué:
Thank you, Roberto.
Roberto Carlos:
Thank you too.
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