INTERVIEW: Pablo Maffeo – Vieira is Incredible but when he Needs to Shout, he Doesn’t Hold Back!

This interview was first published in Spanish by Ignacio Lynch for Manchester City LatinoAmerica and it is with their kind permission that I have translated and posted it here.

Young Spanish defender Pablo Maffeo has shone this season in the City academy and he was kind enough to answer our questions. Here, we discuss his short but promising career, looking at the past, the present and the future that we hope will be successful.

Ignacio: Many thanks for speaking to us, Pablo. You are seventeen and were born in Sant Joan Despí in Spain – is that correct? Tell us a little about your roots.

Pablo: That’s correct. I began to play football when I was five for Levante las Planas – now, when I go back to Barcelona I go and watch games there. Not long afterwards, Real Club Deportivo Espanyol were interested in me and I stayed there from before the age of eight until joining Espanyol.

I: This is your second season with City, arriving from Espanyol B. Have you settled in Manchester? I guess that it’s a very different city to your home town.

P: Yes, this is my second season here and the truth is that I’m very happy and content with how things are going. The first year was very hard because I was alone and I missed my home environment, but this year things have changed. I live with my family in Manchester and sometimes the people that have always surrounded me come to visit.

I: Are you an Espanyol fan? I imagine that you therefore have a good impression of Pablo Zabaleta…

P: Haha! The reality is that I feel something special for Espanyol because it was my home for many years, but I love to watch football and enjoy it and I’m always trying to learn from the greats. Pablo Zabaleta has always helped me in all aspects and he’s an absolutely great guy.

I: You’re a defender, but in which position do you feel most comfortable playing: centre-back or right-back? Tell us about your qualities.

P: The truth is that this is my first year playing as a centre-back. I could never have imagined that with my build (and moreover in England) I could play there, but I feel comfortable and I’m enjoying playing football a lot. The manager is in charge and he decides the best for me and the team. I’m a pacey player, aggressive and defensively very good. I’m a team player.

I: I guess that being at the same club as so many Spaniards has helped you settle. Do you notice the ‘Spanishisation’ of City?

P: Yes, you notice it. I feel comfortable speaking in Spanish with them, it’s also a way of getting to know others who are in a similar situation to you, and we help each other during tough moments.

I: Despite only being seventeen, you already play regularly for the U21s. Do you find it hard to play against bigger opponents?

P: Yes, and I think it’s harder as a defender when you find yourself against physically stronger players with more experience.

I: You have played for Spain U16s and U17s – can you imagine playing for the main national team in the future?

P: I hope so! It would be a dream come true. Everyone who likes football dreams of wearing the national shirt and to represent your country would be perfect.

I: Although you haven’t yet made your debut for City’s first team, you have trained with the squad on many occasions. What has Manuel Pellegrini said to you?

P: Manuel doesn’t really talk to us, but he always treats us well and with a smile.

I: I guess that it’s an honour to share the dressing room with superstars such as Aguero, Silva and Yaya. Do they give you advice and include you in the group?

P: Yes, they’re always joking and everyone welcomes you and tries to make you feel at home without nerves. They always say to play as you know how because you are training with them for a reason.

I: Speaking of superstars, your manager at U19 and U21 level is none other than Patrick Vieira…

P: It’s a thrill and Patrick is great. He treats me well, he helps me and he laughs with me, but when he has to get stuck in and give me a rollicking he is more than capable! He has taught me so much over the past few months – he knows everything about football, but has his feet on the ground. It’s incredible.

I: City’s U19 team is doing great things in the UEFA Youth League this season. Is your hope to get to latter stages of the competition?

P: Absolutely. Everyone wants to progress and be able to lift that title. We’re having a good season, but we have to carry on like that from the first minute to the last, running and giving everything in each game.

I: Who is your role model in football: in general and at City?

P: I have always said Carles Puyol is my idol and I hope one day to have the opportunity to meet him because everyone has told me he’s a great guy. Pablo Zabaleta would be my role model at City – I hope someday to hit the heights of those two legends.

I: What is the City Football Academy like? Is it as spectacular as everyone says?

P: It’s incredible. I didn’t know what to expect – it’s spectacular beyond words.

I: Some of your teammates have played for the first team. Can you tell me one in particular who has impressed you, and who you see having a future in the first team?

P: Everyone who has stepped up has the talent and capacity to do so, otherwise they would not be there. For me personally, Angel* and Sinan Bytyqi are the ones I like the most, and they are perfect people as well. They are like my brothers. Sinan is like my older brother – in fact, I used to live with him when I first arrived and he has always been great with me. Angel is like my twin brother, we are like Zipi and Zape – we can’t be separated and we’re always laughing.

*[ed - unsure whether this refers to Angelino or Jose Angel Pozo.]

I: Do you have a message for the City fans?

P: Just to say many thanks to everyone who comes to watch us and supports the team. That makes us better as footballers.

Thanks again to Ignacio for conducting the interview. You can check out his website here.

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