“It’s going to be a top game for sure.” | Dani Olmo Interview

Looking ahead to Matchday 23, Olmo says a match against FC Bayern München “is always a fight … it motivates me a lot,” admonishing himself immediately to “be humble, keep the feet on the ground,” adding: “It’s not going to be the same game as it was in the Supercup.” 

Read about Olmo’s admiration for Xavi, his view of Loïs Openda’s role on the team, the chemistry between both players and himself, his expectations for the EUROs where he will represent his own country, and what makes it special to play FC Bayern.

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Dani Olmo on…
 

…what makes it so special to play Bayern, particularly in the Allianz Arena

“It is always special. Bayern, of course, is always the opponent that motivates us. We have played so far two times this season against them. We beat them once, we drew the second at home, so we want to beat them there. Of course, we both need the points so it’s going to be a top game for sure.” 

…to what extent have the last few games given the team confidence to feel they are able to be more successful against Bayern

“Of course, Bayern is always a tough opponent. I remember in the last years we played against them, we had good games but, in the end, we would lose maybe 1-0, 3-2. I remember one game there in Allianz we won 2-3, if I remember right, during Covid. But yeah, it’s always tough games against them. They have top class players, a top class team. So in the end it is always a fight as we say, you know. So for us, for me as a player, it motivates me a lot, always.” 

…how he would rate that game, and if that was one of his best personal performances in a game

“I would say it was a perfect game from all of us and for me individually, of course, to score three goals there in Munich, in the Allianz and to be able to win a Cup trophy. You know, it was for sure one of my best performances. But of course, we have to keep going, you know, because football never stops and now, we have another chance to play in Allianz. I hope it goes well.” 

…if his teammates have been asking and joking about another hattrick

“Yeah, it can always be the joke, you know, but we have to be humble, you know, keeping the feet on the ground, I would say in Spanish. And we just have to keep going because, for sure, it’s not going to be the same game as it was in the Super Cup. And as I say, both of us need the win, so we both want to be over 100%. It’s going to be a good game to watch for the spectators.” 

Dani Olmo on…

…Xavi Simons and what makes him special

“Xavi is a different player. He has shown that so far in the time he has been here. We connect really well on the pitch but he can also do things on his own. He has an amazing dribbling technique, finishing as well. He’s a really complete player and for us, for our system, for how we play, our ideas, the coaches’ ideas, it is perfect for us. Now he’s in a really good mood, in a really good shape so this is very helpful.” 

…what Lois Openda brings to the team

“Yeah, he’s a different player than we have up there. Of course, he is not so big and not so tall but he’s fast and strong. So, in the end this makes a difference sometimes as you say in the counterattacks when we play deep because we’re a team that is always trying to play forward and for this, he is also a perfect player for us. 

That’s why he has scored so many goals so far and we hope he will keep scoring more and more. This will be good for us. So, so yeah, this is a player that fits perfect into us.” 

…his chemistry with Lois Openda on the field

“We are players that like to combine, to dribble, to finish the actions. Of course, he has different qualities than me, I have different qualities than him. But we both connect really good on the pitch. We are both trying to play forward all the time and trying to make the team play, have as many contacts with the ball [as possible]. At the end we have almost the same goal, the same objective, to make the team play and win and this is what we have to keep doing.” 

Dani Olmo on…

…the EUROs and what it would mean to represent his nation in Germany

“Yes, totally would be special. We will play – well I hope I will be called of course, but we will have the chance to play in the stadiums I normally play in the league. So of course, it’s going to be special for me.” 

…his memories of his first call up

“We were in training in the morning and after training they communicated to us that one more player had been called up for the first national team. At that time a lot of new players got the call-up for Croatia and for other countries and this time after training, he just met us all and he said, “I have news guys. There is one more player who has been called up,” and he just said my name and I was not expecting it of course, because I didn’t know it was coming up and whatever. But yeah, it was crazy, happy. And afterwards, of course, everybody was joking around with me a little bit, but it is a good memory.” 

…if unexpected moments are the best ones

“Totally for sure, for sure. And this was really special to kind of celebrate this with the players, with the team because at the end at that time we were really successful altogether and to have this present, this gift, this extra cherry on the cake let’s say, it was really special.”