2023-04-15 20:00:52
BarcelonaBarça play against Real Madrid this Sunday (6:30 p.m., #Vamos). One of the protagonists of the match, Àlex Abrines (Palma, 1993), analyzes in depth the situation of a Barcelona team eager to make a good final stretch of the season and uses it to remind us of the importance of the mental health of elite athletes .
How does the team see now that the decisive stage is coming?
— I see him well. Last week was bad in terms of results, but I think the dynamic we have is progressive. We are playing good basketball and this week should help us regain confidence and our style of play.
Have they changed the way they plan the season?
— Yes, we all would have liked to finish first in the regular season in the Euroleague, but I think we managed the physical issue better to prevent injuries. Now we reach the decisive part of the season with all 15 players well, which is the important goal. We learned from last year’s mistakes and come into the decisive moment better, both physically and mentally.
How do you see the Barça-Madrid power struggle?
— Like every year. Both teams are usually at the top, fighting for the first places and for the titles. Sunday’s classic is very important because we are tied in the classification of the Liga Endesa. Baskonia goes first, but we will also have to play against them. These are the two games we have marked on the calendar. We know we can’t fail if we want to finish the regular phase as first.
What is it like to have Jasikevicius as a coach?
— He is intense and tough, but he is a guy who knows a lot about basketball: as a player he has already shown it. You learn a lot from him. Obviously, you have to know the Saras well to manage it, because sometimes it’s not easy. He lives basketball very intensely and sometimes his head hits you. But once you get to know him and know how to react in certain situations, there are comments that you don’t take so seriously or let them pass a bit.
Is a dressing room like Barça’s difficult?
– Yes. Like all great teams there are a lot of egos and a lot of good players that come from having a high scoring average. You are not alone here. There are a lot of players who have points in their hands, and you have to adapt. Everyone has to think about the team and sacrifice some things. I know I could have a higher scoring average or have more shots, but I’ve always been humble. If there are days when it’s time to defend and not shoot, I’m the first to do it. Nobody remembers the points scored by Àlex Abrines, but the titles won by Barça.
Pep Guardiola remembered the other day that it is unfair to ask a team to always win. How do you live with this requirement?
— Playing for Barça they will always ask you to win. It’s been many years since we won the Euroleague, but if we had won it last year it would be the same. A club like this must always fight to win all the titles and not think about what has happened. You have to learn to live with it, you have to take it as motivation. We are trying and we are the first who want to win the Euroleague.
When you were in the NBA, you spoke up to explain that you were struggling mentally. Have you found your passion for basketball again?
— Yes, now I see things differently. My personal life has also changed with my two daughters, and that helps. Basketball is very important, but it’s also my fun. I’ve been going there since I was four years old and I’ve always had a great time… That’s what I lost a little bit. Returning to Barça and over the years I take things in a different way. I’m still 100% competitive, because when you’re having the best time, you’re winning, but you have to find happiness. Enjoy working hard.
How important is mental health in athletes?
— When I explained it, it had a lot of impact. Many people wrote to me to thank me because it was a taboo subject and no one talked about it. In recent years, other athletes have started to talk about it. In the same way that they have a physio, teams now have a psychologist. It is very important to be well physically, but also mentally. We have taken a step forward as a collective. I liked that by sharing my experience it helped people think differently.
People think that athletes are privileged. Did you suffer from the misunderstanding of some fans?
— Of some yes, but 95% of the comments were positive. People told me to take as much time as I needed and that it was very brave for me to explain my situation. Before, people didn’t want to talk about it for fear that the fans would say that we are privileged to play basketball, that we have a lot of money, a house, cars… But we have reasons to be bad. Elite athletes are people and we have problems. We have privilege and stability, but we should create programs so that everyone has the opportunity to stop when they feel bad. We must take care of our health.
Some teammates in the dressing room did not notice his sadness.
— Part of it was also my fault. I was very shy and kept things to myself. If you don’t explain what’s happening to you, it’s hard to see. When I explained it, everyone helped me. They all wanted the best for me and I have no complaints. Barça also made themselves available to me.
How has life changed since becoming a father?
— I live more tired, but I see things differently. When you have a bad game and you’re alone, you’re going around all day. I don’t have that luxury now. When I get home it doesn’t matter if I won or lost, my daughter will come and laugh and hug me. She doesn’t care if dad wins or loses. It allows me to leave basketball between the four walls of the Palau Blaugrana, and that helps me disconnect.
Can you see yourself playing at the new Palau Blaugrana?
– Hopefully. I don’t know what the plans are. I have two more years on my contract and I hope to be there for a few more, but you never know. I hope they can fix everything and I can get to release it.
How is the delicate financial situation of the club?
— Between the first football team and us there is an incredible leap. We players have already made efforts to accept pay cuts or deferrals to help the club recover. I read news that more money is to be cut. We try to isolate ourselves a little because we can’t control it. When the time comes to make decisions, everyone will do what they want, but everything Barça has given me we have to give back in some way.
How does it analyze the e-sports and the new audiovisual platforms?
— I have a team ofe-sports in Valencia and it’s a world I like because it’s very different. Thanks to people like Ibai Llanos and other content creators, different things are being done to engage a new audience. The example is the Kings League. Society is going through a change and I think expanding the range of entertainment is cool.
What future do you imagine when you stop playing basketball?
— I will always keep the club ofe-sports. So when I retire I’ll have something to hold on to. What comes will come, but now I’m focused on trying to help for a few more years. The first years of transition are hard.
#Elite #athletes #problems