Luis Garcia needs no introduction. The 38-year-old Spanish great was part of the Liverpool squad that won one of the greatest Champions League finals ever played, against AC Milan in Istanbul in 2005. In Mumbai on Monday for the unveiling of the UEFA Champions League trophy organised by Heineken India, Garcia spoke to Scroll on topics ranging from the Champions League to India hosting the Under-17 World Cup.
Barcelona to win Champions League
A product from the Barcelona academy, Garcia backed the team to lift the Champions League title this time as they face Juventus in the first-leg quarter-final clash on Wednesday night.
“It is very difficult. It is going to be a beautiful three months until the final of the UEFA Champions Trophy). Teams like Barcelona and Real Madrid are going to be there. I will love [to see] Barcelona at the final,” said Garcia.
Sticking to one of his favourite clubs, Garcia also backed Lionel Messi to win the FIFA Ballon D’or for a record fifth time. He also said that Messi deserved it given the fact that he has been at the top of his game for the last decade.
“I think Messi has been on top of the top for the last how many years I don’t remember. 17-18 maybe. Most of the players have a career 17 to 18 years at the top and I am talking about the top guys. Messi has been fighting with the best for that long. I think he has got the chance to relax and take a break because he plays every day, every competition, and every year trying to win all the trophies and winning the Ballon D’Or,” said Garcia. “He will probably win the Ballon D’Or next year as well because he has been doing so well. He looks like he has the confidence again. He is scoring, assisting and the moment he isn’t on the pitch, Barcelona struggles. You can see that.”
Talking about the Catalan giants’ run in the La Liga, Garcia said that the El Classico was going to play a decisive role in determining the title contenders. “It is going to be tough. There is still a lot to be played and with the El Classico yet to happen, I think Barcelona will have the edge. Barcelona is more ready to win the El Classico. Anything can happen.”
The Miracle of Istanbul
Talking about the famous night at Istanbul in 2005 which saw Liverpool win the Champions League trophy for the fifth time, Garcia said it was belief and manager Rafa Benitez who scripted the legendary comeback.
“Half-time we thought we were done, we were finished. The worst day of our lives. Imagine you work so hard for a whole year right to one final and after one minute you have a goal in your net then after 20 minutes we had another one and then after five another,” remembered the 38-year-old.
“We wondered what went wrong. In my head I was saying that it was hopefully not the worst final ever. We were against an Italian team that was probably had the best defenders. It was one of the best teams I have seen on the pitch,” said Gracia.
However, belief, he said, was one of the reasons behind the greatest comeback in footballing history. “We had belief. Those 15 minutes we were thinking that we couldn’t do anything so let’s go out and try to score one goal and then we see how things are. The only that gave us confidence was to see the manager so calm and confident,” said Garcia. “He told us that he is going to make some changes and let Stevie have some freedom upfront. When we were on the pitch and saw Stevie score the first goal, because of the manager, changed our thinking. We thought something was happening here and maybe the manager had a Plan B. You start believing then and from the worst final ever it turned out to be the best ever. It was a special night.”
But, he treasures his semi-final clash against Chelsea during the 2005 Champions League. “I think the semi-final against Chelsea was special for me before the final. The final was special but the special moment for me was Chelsea, because people had that doubt and after almost 20 years we entered the final,” added Garcia. “It was a special moment for the club, players and myself.”
Liverpool’s topsy-turvy season
When quizzed about Liverpool and their form this season, Garcia said that they aren’t in the title contention this season. However, he backed Jurgen Klopp to gain success soon enough.
“Liverpool is out of the title race because to win the Premier League you have to be consistently at your best and unfortunately that wasn’t the case this season. They suffered injuries at crucial times, players left for other competitions so that moment when you miss 3-4 games, you are out of the race,” said the former Liverpool winger. “But I think the players and Klopp are making a comeback again and that shows that they have the confidence. They will continue to win games and they will want to get into the Champions League.”
With Chelsea cruising towards the title, Garcia believed consistent performances were needed throughout the season to win the league: “It’s not easy. They showed amazing strength till the first half of the season. It’s not easy to keep the same. Yes the team did struggle when Mane left because he was playing such an important role. We missed him a lot. You need to have a big squad so when you have players that can come in at any point and be great, players like Chelsea have, then you can win the competition,” said Garcia.
Premier League toughest, La Liga more ‘tactical’
Garcia himself has played in various leagues all across the globe including for Atletico de Kolkata in the Indian Super League. But, which was the toughest?
“The toughest? Well, the hottest was India, no?” said the amused Spanish footballer. “To be honest, the toughest was the Premier League. To adapt was great for me because you know it’s a very hard game, there are strong tackles flying in. I’m not that well-built so it was difficult for me, but I enjoyed a lot,” said Garcia. Contrastingly, the La Liga wasn’t as physical.
“Well I guess La Liga is more tactical,” he observed. “There are many styles of playing and La Liga clubs constantly change the way they play. You have to adapt to that.”
Spanish era in Champions League
Talking about the dominance of Spanish sides in the Champions League, Garcia said that English football will make a comeback next year for sure.
“I don’t think so. There are eras. Spanish football has been dominating CL football for the past 3-4 years. Maybe next year, if you see the potential of the Premier League, there are so many good teams. Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham are great teams,” reckoned the 38-year-old. “There will be moments and years. I don’t think there needs to be any change in the league. They are different leagues and the Champions League is a different competition. That’s why we (Liverpool) were playing so well in the Champions League but couldn’t do so well in the Premier League. Premier League was so difficult. Many of the players couldn’t adapt too well to the Premier League.”
Plans for a return?
Having played for Indian Super League outfit Atletico de Kolkata, is the midfielder eyeing a return?
“Who knows? I retired once many years ago [but] I finished here [in the ISL] and I am not going to say that I have retired or I am not going to come here [to play in ISL]” said Garcia.
He also said that the league was doing wonders for the country and that he watches his mates take the field. “I enjoy watching ISL and watching some of my team-mates. I have seen a lot of improvement in the league. A lot of Indian players are coming up and showing a lot of fantastic talent. So I am sure whatever happens, ISL is going to continue forward.”
From being a Champions League winner to an ambassador of the trophy, Garcia has plans of becoming a coach after having done his coaching license last year. “No it’s not out of the window. I did my coaching license last year. It’s very important to continue learning. At the end, life is about that, about growing and challenging yourself. I will do my badges in the future, but right now I’m enjoying myself,” said Garcia.
With India also set to host the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, Garcia feels that it is a step in the right direction as well.
“I think it is an amazing venue for the World Cup. I think it is so important for the country to host this event. Young players of the age of 12, 13 or 10 can see young players playing in front of a huge crowd. They will start feeling that there is a career in playing football and hopefully start feeling that passion for football from a young age,” said Garcia.