Fermin Lopez opens up on missing the World Cup – “I didn’t watch the first few matches” | OneFootball

Fermin Lopez was cruelly denied the chance to be part of Spain’s World Cup triumph this summer, with an injury ruling him out of the tournament.

The Barcelona midfielder has now opened up on that painful experience, describing it as the toughest period of his career in an interview with Catalunya Radio (h/t Mundo Deportivo).

Ferran on his toughest summer yet

For Fermin, watching on as his compatriots lifted the trophy without him proved almost unbearable, and he admitted he leaned heavily on those closest to him to get through it.

“I got through it thanks to my family, my partner, and my friends. I needed help. I already had it before, but my coach helped me a lot to get through it,” he said.

Fermin Lopez endured a tough summer. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

So difficult was the situation that Fermin could not even bring himself to watch Spain’s opening matches at the tournament.

“I didn’t watch the first few matches of the Spanish national team in the World Cup; I couldn’t. I wanted to be there, and towards the end, when I was feeling a bit better, I decided to go see the final live in New York,” he revealed.

Closing in on a return

The good news for Barcelona is that Fermin is edging ever closer to full fitness, with the club’s pre-season tour in England yielding encouraging signs.

The midfielder now has his sights set on the Gamper Trophy against Egyptian side Al-Ahly on August 19th as a potential comeback date.

“I’m feeling better every day. I have no discomfort, which is important. If everything goes well, I could play a few minutes in the Gamper,” he said.

Dreaming of the Champions League

Fermin Lopez is geared up for the season ahead. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

With the disappointment behind him, Fermin is now fully focused on redemption with Barcelona, and he made no secret of the squad’s ultimate ambition for the campaign ahead.

“I’m very ready. I’ve already shown how I can help Barça, and I have to keep doing the same next season,” he affirmed.

“The Champions League dream is shared by the whole team. We’ve been close the last two years. This season could be a good one. We’ve been playing together for three years and we’ve experienced a lot. I feel we’re ready to win the Champions League,” he added.

Finally, Fermin also backed Barcelona to push for a third consecutive league title, while heaping praise on new signing Karim Adeyemi.

“Adeyemi is a very good player and has excellent qualities. He’s going to help us a lot, I’m sure,” he concluded.