In big moments like a Champions League final, is it possible, at any point, to truly enjoy the experience despite the pressure?
"I think so. I remember my first final: many of the more experienced players told me to enjoy the week, because on match day, everything is focused on preparing for the game. But during the week, of course, you’re preparing too, and it’s important to try to savour the moment. That’s what I do now.
"I also try to pass that on to the new players, to those with less experience, so they can enjoy this week too. It’s something unique and beautiful to experience: the way the week starts, up to the moment we travel to Oslo, in this case, when we’re all together until the day of the final, and then we play."
How has Lyon’s style evolved this season?
"I don’t think it’s changed much. We’re lucky to have an incredible squad this year, with lots of talented new players, a mix of more experienced players who have been here a long time, a new coach and new staff, so of course, there are different ideas.
"I think it’s been a perfect combination. We understood each other very quickly at the start of the season, and that’s why we’re performing so well at the end of the season."
You played in the last two finals between Lyon and Barcelona: you won one and lost one. What did the team manage to do in Turin that it couldn’t do in Bilbao?
"I’m not really a fan of talking about past finals, but I think everyone saw that we weren’t at our best in Bilbao. We didn’t win our duels, and that’s what a final is about: it starts with those individual battles all over the pitch. We weren’t up to it.
"They made the difference at two key moments. They scored at a very tough time for us, and we couldn’t come back. But that’s in the past. Now, we’re only focused on this final."
Jonatan Giraldez is now Lyon’s coach, while in 2024 he was in charge of Barcelona. So he knows the opposing team from the inside. Is that an advantage for you in preparing for this final?
"Yes, we’re really lucky to have him as our coach. We’ve all learned a lot. We’ve grown a lot as a team. He’s brought new ideas, especially for these big matches.
"We’re really fortunate to have all his experience, and also the fact that he spent a long time with the other team. He knows every player in detail, and that’s obviously an advantage for us."
Lyon has a huge history with this competition. The BBC made a documentary about the club, and the way the players talk about the Champions League, it’s almost as if the trophy is part of the club’s DNA. How do you talk about the Champions League in the dressing room and in training? What does this competition mean to Lyon?
"I can tell you that the first day I arrived in Lyon, it was the first thing I heard about: the Champions League. You feel it at every training session, even during a warm-up, even in a simple rondo: everyone gives their all thinking about that trophy, imagining the moment we lift it.
"The other day, we were talking about those moments that, over time, fade a bit from memory, but we were just recalling that feeling of lifting this kind of trophy. It’s something incredible. We’re lucky to have a lot of players in the team who have already lifted several Champions Leagues. I’m very grateful to them, because they also explained to me how to handle the weeks before a final, how to enjoy the process.
"This is my third final now, and I can enjoy it myself and try to pass that on to the younger players, to those with less experience, so they can enjoy it too. Because it doesn’t happen every year. We’d like it to, but the level of the Champions League is incredible; it gets harder every year.
"We’re really lucky, and I think we deserve to be in the final. So we also have to savour this moment."
As a midfielder, how is it different to play against Barcelona compared to other top European clubs?
"For me, it’s key in every match, no matter the opponent: whoever dominates the midfield has a better chance of winning. Even more so in this kind of game, against a team that’s really strong in midfield, with incredible players. But so do we. We have an exceptional midfield.
"I know them really, really well because I played with them in the Spanish youth national team. It’s going to be very interesting. They’ve played together for a long time, so they have a lot of instinctive passes, they know exactly where to find their teammate.
"But we also have our strengths to develop our game, to keep the ball. I know we’re capable of it. I think dominating the midfield will be decisive in this final."
Lyon have a lot of different profiles in midfield and can therefore adapt their lineup according to the needs of the match. Has this versatility been important in your development this season?
"Yes, absolutely. No matter who plays, everyone is ready to give their best as soon as they step onto the pitch or start a match. I think that’s what brings you to the big moments of the season, to finals, to winning trophies. The more united we are as a group, the more difference we make.
"And I’m really happy with the whole team, because I think we’ve achieved something incredible. It’s not always easy for everyone, and that’s when we stick together. We have an amazing team, both on the sporting and human side. That’s essential because it’s not easy to maintain a high level of performance in all the big matches throughout the season, while rotating and always giving your best. That’s our key."
Barcelona has only lost one match this season in the Champions League, with two draws, against Bayern and Chelsea. What did you notice in those results? Are there any tactical lessons from those two games that you’ve incorporated into your preparation for the final?
"Of course, we’ve watched a lot of their matches, seen lots of videos. We still have a few days left.
"I think everyone saw that the level in the Champions League this season was extraordinary: we saw it in the quarters, in the semis, and in our own matches too. And you can see that against Chelsea or Bayern, the quality was very high and anyone could win. We also focused a lot on the match against Bayern. It was the last one they played in the Champions League, so it made sense.
"Intensity will be a key point on such a day, and for me too, as I said, the battle in midfield is crucial. I think they have very good players, but so do we. And I think whoever knows how to hold their position: when to hold it, when not to, when to threaten in transition. That will be really decisive."
How do you assess the challenges your team has faced this season in the Champions League, and what has been the biggest challenge for you personally, and as a group?
"I think we showed what we were capable of from the very first day in the Champions League. We had some very good matches, and some less good ones.
"I think the away game at Wolfsburg was a lesson for the whole team: when you’re not at your best, you can lose in the Champions League if the other team plays well and you’re not at your level. That’s when we realised there was no more room to relax or not be at our best. When you play for Lyon, it’s not even an option.
"And then we also showed our character. I think the comeback at home against Arsenal in that match was very positive and puts us in a good dynamic for the final."
You had to go to extra time in the quarters and come from behind in the semis. What did those experiences teach you about yourselves as a team, especially in terms of resilience?
"I think it’s all about the mentality we showed. We had moments in matches where we weren’t as good, and that’s when we conceded goals, or the opponent had a good spell. It’s all about momentum, and that’s what we learned as a team: to hold on in those moments and be stronger.
"I think in the last performance against Arsenal at home, we saw that we were quite dominant after moments that could have been a bit more critical. We managed the balance well, and that comes from learning, from the experience we’ve built up in recent Champions League matches. Hopefully, we won’t need that to happen again in such a final. But that’s part of football. Fortunately, we won those matches, and now it’s part of our experience."