Barcelona are 90 minutes away from being crowned La Liga champions, and the occasion could not be bigger as they face a title clincher against Real Madrid at the Spotify Camp Nou.
Dani Olmo sat down with TV3 (h/tMundo Deportivo) ahead of Sunday’s Clasico and reflected on what the match means, his own season, and what drives this Barcelona side to keep pushing even after the final whistle of a title race has blown.
What Dani Olmo said ahead of El Clasico
Olmo started by talking about Barcelona’s opportunity to seal the title against their arch-rivals and what it means for the team.
“It’s a Clasico. We have the opportunity to win a title and to take a title away from Real Madrid as well. It’s something that doesn’t happen very often,” he said.
“These past two years we’ve had the opportunity for the Super Cup, the Copa del Rey, and now La Liga, all in the same match.
“It’s an opportunity, and also an opportunity to continue making history with this team, with these players, and we want to take advantage of it,” he added.
Olmo, though, was under no illusions about what awaits them on Sunday, expecting a Real Madrid side with nothing to lose and everything to prove.
“We expect an aggressive Real Madrid, who have nothing to lose and will go out to win everything. I think they don’t want us to win either and celebrate the league title with them on Sunday,” he said.
Despite the success of the season, Olmo acknowledged the sting of the Champions League exit and what it means for the group’s ambitions going forward.
“We can’t be disappointed about only winning one League and one Cup, but we do have the ambition to go further in competitions, like the Champions League, because we have that thorn in our side, that we all could have done more,” the playmaker added.
Dani Olmo remains fully focused on the Clasico. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images)
On his own individual contribution, he was self-critical, which was characteristic of him.
“I wasn’t satisfied with my start to the season, especially, but I kept working. Now it’s true that I’ve had more consistency. I’ve also played in other positions. It’s been a good year because, in the end, we’ve won important titles as a team,” he said.
“Individually, I think I could have given more, and ultimately, I’m ambitious in that sense. I’m not satisfied with what I’ve done. I want to give more and I always want to contribute more to the team,” he added.
The 100-point target remains firmly on the agenda for this squad, and Olmo made clear the ambition does not switch off simply because the title is within reach.
“The 100-point league title is a real objective for us, one that we want to achieve. We must win everything until the very end, and that’s what we want.”
He also pointed to Hansi Flick as the figure who has underpinned everything Barcelona have built this season.
“Flick is the cornerstone, the coach who has shaped Barca’s competitive, winning style. It’s a style that has brought a lot of joy, that has won titles, and we’ve shown that it’s a style with which you can win many things.”
“We must continue to improve a lot, and we’re also very young. But we’re sure that, if we continue like this, we’ll bring a lot of joy to Can Barca.”
Olmo’s comments come at a time when Barcelona are keen on extending the contract of the German tactician, with plans to extend his deal until 2029.
With the World Cup approaching, Olmo was asked whether the fear of injury changes his approach in these final weeks of the season.
“It can happen, but I personally don’t think about it. You can think about being careful not to put your foot down just in case, but I think you shouldn’t do these things, because in the end, if you think about it, it’s going to happen,” he added.
Finally, the former RB Leipzig starlet added that he remains committed to the season but is equally keen on playing the World Cup.
“You always have to give your all, and in the end, with the preparation and intensity you put into the matches, this will also serve you well in the future. If you play at half speed, you’ll arrive at the World Cup at half speed.
“Because it’s not easy to change this mindset. I always try to give 100% to reach that final stretch of the season and, obviously, then at the World Cup,” he concluded.
