Perhaps aside from the veterans, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, few can claim to have fought off more criticism in the Barcelona camp than Eric Garcia. A target for both Culers and Spain fans, Garcia is constantly the subject of hot debate, with some feeling he is not up to the task for either team.
While he has still been exploited in the Champions League, Garcia was performing at a high level in La Liga and has been a fixture for Luis Enrique.
Speaking to RadioMarca, Garcia was asked if whether Spain really knows who the true Eric Garcia was.
“If that happens, I suppose it’s my fault first of all. I think I’m in much better physical shape than I was last year. I came from a difficult year at City because I didn’t play, I was out of rhythm and now I feel good.”
He was also asked how he escapes the criticism, or what his best strategy to deal with it is.
“First of all in my family. I talk a lot with my father and I have a psychologist, but the strategy is not to comment too much about criticism and to avoid it.”
Garcia seemed to hold no grudges against the press though, when he was asked whether the press had been harsh on him.
“I prefer to answer in private (laughs). In the end it’s your job, to comment on what happens on the field in a more or less sharp way, but what I have to do is try to give my best when I play. I don’t read anything in the press, honestly. But you always see something.”
Garcia’s use of psychologist is becoming more and more common, with top teams almost always having one in order to help players should they need it.
Spain manager Luis Enrique has always had a team psychologist by his side during management, and Joaquin Valdes, who performs that role for La Roja, appeared on his Twitch stream on Wednesday night.
It shows the increasing attention being given to the mental side of the game. No side has exemplified its importance more than Real Madrid in recent years, who have shown the steel in order come through numerous seemingly impossible situations.
