"I will not be a starter. I'm here for my experience" - Boateng on Barça role
At the end of his first interview as a Barça player, Kevin Prince-Boateng left nobody in the room in doubt: a colourful new personality has arrived at Camp Nou.
New Barcelona loan signing Kevin Prince-Boateng attended his first conference as a Blaugrana player on Tuesday following his official presentation at Camp Nou. And from the start until the end, the 31-year-old made sure the interview was going to be on his terms.
Before any of the convening journalists even had a chance to ask a question, the Ghanaian striker stated: “Good morning, thanks to everyone. These are incredible days in my life. It is a great to be here and I want to win everything. That’s it.”
Twenty minutes later Boateng brought the press conference to an abrupt end after he was asked about a video in which he declared himself a fan of Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo, saying: "I am a Barça player. Messi is the best in the world, in history and in all the worlds. He's been the best for ten years, that's it, come on, thanks and see you later.”
It was an early declaration from the new Barça singing who seems to know exactly where he stands. And, clearly, he is a guy who knows how to start and end conversations.
Asked about his role at Barca, the ex-Milan player responded: “Right now I don’t know anything. I have not talked to the coach yet, but I know I will not be a starter. I'm here because of my experience and to help.”
“Playing next to the best player in the world and the best forward in the world is an honour. Thanks to God, it is a gift to play by his side. I'm here to watch how they play. At my age and with my experience I like to play at nine. I take it as a challenge to prove that I can stay one more year,” added Boateng, for whom Barça have secured an option to buy for 8 million euros from Sassuolo when the loan term expires this summer.
After, he expressed his willingness to come straight in to play in the Copa del Rey quarter-final clash against Sevilla on Wednesday.
"I want to play as soon as possible, but it depends on the coach. I am very happy to be back in Spain, which is like my home and where the most beautiful football in the world is played. It is perfect to be here to play with everyone and against the best in the world,” he explained.
“I knew it was going to be difficult to play again in a team of this entity. I am a realistic man, but when you can dream, you can raise reality. I work so that my children see me as an idol and I want to take advantage of the opportunity.”
The player himself confessed to being surprised when he received the call from Barcelona, recalling: “When I heard the news, I spoke right away with my agent and it was like a dream, I told my agent that I wanted to go to Barcelona running, not on a plane. Then it was made official and it is a great honour. I am very happy.”
At the end of the interview, Boateng left nobody in the room in doubt: a colourful new personality has arrived at Camp Nou.
