As a professional football player, I have known perfectly well from the day I started playing that every day I have to fight for my place.

I have a fantastic wife, and not only in terms of external beauty. Her priority and mine is our children. That is our choice.

In football, day in day out, you always have to show your worth.

Regaining the Champions Cup is not going to be easy.

The mistake is to imagine that perfection is possible when the very idea is unthinkable.

Some of the fans here were not too sure about their club signing a player from their biggest rivals. Fortunately, we had a great season and won the League title for the first time in four years. Now, I think, everyone can say it was good business.

There was interest from clubs in Italy and England, I believe. But I've never been attracted by the way they play in Italy. Staying in Spain was always my preference.

When I left Barcelona, staying in Spain was an important factor in my decision to join Madrid. I did not have to change country or learn a new language, adopt a different sort of lifestyle, and so on.