?Martin Braithwaite signing for Barcelona. Even now, several weeks later, it still beggars belief that this is really the reality that we are living in.
There has (understandably) been a significant amount written about the Dane’s arrival at Camp Nou and the ?circumstances that led to it.
Moral questions remain as to why one of the richest clubs in world football were awarded special dispensation to sign a relegation-threatened side’s best striker and now, after a period of relative silence, Braithwaite has given his side of the story.
In an interview with ?SPORT, the former Middlesbrough forward revealed the bizarre circumstances with which he learned about interest from the Catalan giants.
“I didn’t have a call directly but I had a call saying that Barcelona are really, really, really interested in you and its serious. I was driving my son home from football,” he said.
After hearing the news, Braithwaite elected to keep it a secret from his son and pregnant wife so as not to worry them – only for them to find out the very next day after it was leaked in the media. Oops.
“I told no one. I was happy but didn’t want to make it emotional unless it was 100 percent sure,” the forward explained. “I didn’t tell my wife, she is pregnant and I didn’t want to stress her with anything. I know she would be happy (though). Suddenly it came out in the media. I went to training in the morning with Leganes, I didn’t have time to sit down with my wife before that evening.”
Braithwaite has made two substitute appearances so far for his new club – including one in last weekend’s Clásico against ?Real Madrid – though he is yet to find the back of the net.
When asked if moving to such a big club had pushed him out of his comfort zone, the 28-year-old admitted it probably had.
“Yes. In a way. I don’t know because it’s not something I fear but I would say it’s an achievement,” he said.
“In my book since I was 20 years old I had written it down. I wrote it down as a goal, I write my goals down. it’s not something that came out of the blue.”
Despite this, Braithwaite insisted he felt no pressure to perform – except from himself – and also shared his insight about what it’s been like to play with Lionel Messi.
“I just have to play my game. I like to make good runs and I have the best passer in the world, so for me it’s really easy.”
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