There is a tense moment. Minutes before it took place, the interview was left on the air because Dani Olmo (Barcelona, 25 years old) arrived at the concentration with some discomfort in the abductor and in training on Sunday he noticed that something was not right. The situation was assessed, and the desire of the coach to have him and the player to be there have ended with his bones (many of them are noticeable under his polo shirt) in Enschede, a small town in the west of the Netherlands, almost on the border with Germany, where tomorrow Spain faces Italy in the semifinal of the League of Nations.

“Two games and a title,” a different kid repeats a couple of times, who left for Zagreb at the age of 16 and who, he says, was never tempted to return home, not even the first night there, at Andy's house. , his representative. On the contrary, just before falling asleep, he thought: “Well, here I am!”. And, from there, to the absolute and to be a star in Germany. He has just renewed with Leipzig until 2027, and that, together with his passion for chess and his facility for languages, make Olmo a different type. “I'm a normal guy,” he protests. But not. He is not a normal guy in football.

So, is the abductor okay? Yes, I'm fine. It's the second concentration with Luis de la Fuente. How is it going? We are insisting on the same parameters that he likes. Some of us know you from the sub'21 and the Olympics, but you have to insist on the concepts, because the idea is good. You are a De la Fuente boy. How do you see him? I see him well, motivated, with a lot of ambition for this new challenge, transmitting the responsibility that being able to win a title entails. But, does he smile? We do see him smile. He's a nice guy. Why do people like him or José Luis Mendilibar find it so difficult to reach the elite? I don't know. Each person has their way, some take longer, others less…. Everything is a process. The coach has won many titles in lower categories and that has a lot of merit. in the end everything comes. That has happened to me too.

Coaches value versatile players and I consider myself versatile

In the 2021 Euro Cup, against Italy precisely, you played false nine. He played a great game, but missed the penalty in the shootout. What did you learn that day? You learn a lot from matches like that. That is pure experience. In that Eurocup we had a very young team. Most of us are still here, now with more experience. After that game, the next time we played again we beat them 2-0 in the Nations League semi-final in Milan. Everything is experience. We have a team to compete. Do you like that position? I feel good playing there. That day Luis Enrique asked me to play between the lines, to dominate the midfield… The coach now knows exactly where I can perform. Can you be a footballer today playing in one position? Of course, how can you not leave? to power? If you are the best in the world in your position, why are you going to change? But it is true that coaches value versatile players. I consider myself a versatile player. What do you remember about the first day you arrived in Zagreb to sign for Dinamo? I was 16 years old, and I landed there at noon. I was alone with Andy, my representative. My father, who had been before seeing all the facilities, etc… I would go days later. Nothing, we arrived, we went to the club, we did all the paperwork, they showed me everything they had…

Dani Olmo, at the Ciudad del Fútbol in Las Rozas Pablo García / RFEF That first night, where did you sleep? At my manager's house. And what did you think before falling asleep? Well, just when I was going to fall asleep I said: 'Here! I'm!' I was happy, really. But it's hard to think that he didn't have a downturn. I never had that downturn of wanting to go home. There are always ups and downs in a season, but this saying 'I want to go back' I never had. At all times I was clear about what I wanted to become. It is evident that in his case it was worth it, but surely there have been many boys who, with the same commitment, did not arrive. Does the experience serve the same? Was it worth it? Every person is different. I had a scenario in those years totally different from the boys who are 16 years old now and are at Barça. Why? Because the sports project that Dinamo Zagreb offered me was not offered by any other team [he was in the Barca]. everything they told me came true. At the age of 18 I was playing in the First Division, even if it was in a minor league like the Croatian. Now you see Gavi and all these and it seems easy to play at 18 in the First Division, but it is not. If you will allow me, I will tell you that you are a rare footballer. He went to second level football at a young age, plays chess, speaks many languages… But why does everyone know that I play chess? Man…. Well, do you consider yourself a rare, atypical footballer? Because I play chess I don't consider myself weird [laughs].. No, I don't know, everyone is the way they are, I consider myself a normal guy. I like what everyone else does: enjoying, being with friends, competing when I'm on the field… What does chess bring you? Well, I've never thought about it, but I think it gives me concentration. It has similarities with soccer in the sense that, depending on what your opponent is doing, you can go one way or the other.. Advance a pawn or an edge, to the right or left. In football there is more improvisation, of course, everything happens faster and you don't have time to think about the movements so much, but they have similarities. It's a lot of tactics. Do you play for fun or study games, read about techniques, etc…? I watched the Netflix series, Queen's Gambit, the one that everyone has seen. I play for fun. Well, I play to win, but boy, for fun.

I take losing very badly. But there is something that I have worse: not competing.

Defend me that chess is not a pain in the ass. [He laughs]. It amuses me. Here I play a lot with Unai [Simón], so no, I don't think it's a pain in the ass. Who wins? Let's draw. Is the language thing talent or study? You have to study a lot. With 16 years in Croatia, that you are of learning age, it sticks to you more. I had four companions, two Argentines and two Chileans. I spoke Spanish with them, but they left, I was left alone and I didn't speak Spanish with anyone, so that's when I started to let go a lot more. I had no idea of Croatian. Croatian, English, German, Spanish, Catalan… did I miss any? German is hard for me. I understand almost everything, but speaking is complicated. What makes you mad about football? I don't take losing very badly. But there is something that I have worse: not competing. He has just renewed until 2027. Don't you feel like going back to Spain? Apparently not! I'm happy at Leipzig, the project with the new general manager is the best for me.

What he does not explain, because footballers never do, is that he does have the idea of returning, but the only club that spoke to him (Real Madrid has not done so) was Barça, but when the player's entourage inquired about the financial situation of Joan Laporta's team, they fled in terror.