Sergi Dominguez talks Flick, Bernal, Inigo, De Jong, Lamine, Barcelona exit – ‘My goal is to return home’ | OneFootball

Sergi Dominguez was one of several young talents from La Masia who got their first-team breakthrough at FC Barcelona last season under Hansi Flick.

However, the young centre-back had to leave the club in the summer transfer window, joining Dinamo Zagreb, in search of regular first-team action – something that was not guaranteed for him at his boyhood club.

Just four months after arriving in the Croatian capital, Dominguez has established himself at the heart of Dinamo’s defence, becoming undroppable for manager Mario Kovacevic.

Now, speaking to SPORT, Dominguez looked back on his breakthrough at Barcelona and subsequent move to Croatia, and shed light on his future objectives.

On Barcelona exit

Kicking things off, the young defender revealed he sought advice from Dani Olmo, who left Barça for Dinamo more than a decade ago, before finalising the transfer.

“I asked Dani Olmo before making my final decision so he could tell me a bit about it. He said that the league was improving, but that if I was fit, I wouldn’t have any trouble playing. It’s a very good league for developing and gaining experience,” he said.

Dominguez admitted it was not easy for him to decide to leave Barcelona after spending the last eight years at La Masia, saying:

“I was a bit nervous, of course. There are nerves. But my teammate Gonzalo, who is Spanish, was there. You’re more aware of how everything will work after a lifetime at Barça, but most of us are new, I think 18 of us. Including the coach.

“We were all waiting to see what would happen.”

Continuing on his decision to leave and how he came about making it, the Spaniard added: “As the season was coming to an end, I couldn’t see myself playing another year in Barça’s reserve team. And the first team was very difficult. So I assumed I was going to be sold or loaned out.

But I didn’t know what was the best option for me, it was the first time I had been in that situation.

“I was on holiday when we finalised everything and when I got the offer, knowing Capellas, the proposal was good, the idea of the club and the project were good, and it wasn’t a matter of a month, but less than a week. I think I made a good decision.”

On first-team breakthrough

Sergi Dominguez made his first-team debut last season. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Reflecting on the last season, which was a roller-coaster of emotions for Dominguez, as he made his senior breakthrough and experienced relegation with Barça Atletic, he noted:

“Last year was crazy. At no point did I imagine I would be doing pre-season training, let alone making my debut. Then, when the first team players arrive, and it’s understandable that they play, you go down to the B team, the situation wasn’t the best because we were fighting to avoid relegation…

“I was in limbo, a bit out of place. But that’s how it was. At no point did I think I would make my debut, and my idea was to be in the B team. In the end, at 19, all you want to do is play. I was grateful to train with the first team, but you want to play and prove yourself.”

On being asked about his first day under the commands of first-team boss Hansi Flick, Dominguez recalled:

“I remember we did physical tests and trained in the afternoon. It was very easy to adapt to that level because 15 or 20 of us started out in the reserve team.

“There were some from the first team, then some from the reserve team dropped out as new people joined. There was a great atmosphere with the reserve team and first team players.”

Touching on the high defensive line that Barcelona employ under Flick, and how he experienced it for the first time, Dominguez remarked:

“It was during a training session. Sometimes we separated the attackers and defenders. We started to swing the ball around and they told us: ‘When the winger has the ball, the full-back has to press hard and the centre-backs have to move up the line with the full-back’.

“The first impression was shocking; I had never seen that in football before. But when the first match came and you made the opposition fall nine times for offside, and seven times in the second… everyone followed the idea because it got results.”

On being asked to point his favourite moment from last season, Dominguez had no hesitation in choosing his debut against Real Valladolid.

“I’d say my debut. But you feel so much that you forget… your mind is so stimulated and I can’t tell you how I felt in those seconds before going on. I felt very happy, nervous… when it’s over, you realise it. Who would have thought?”

“To be honest, seeing how things were going, I told my parents I was going to debut. I felt it inside. I was a bit more prepared.

“I am happy and grateful to Flick. He gave me the opportunity to play at the highest level at the club of my life. I will take that with me forever.”

“I will always be grateful to him. Honestly, he has given me almost everything: the opportunity to prove myself, to let people know who I am, and the confidence to realise that I can play at the highest level.”

When asked to name the first-team player who surprised him the most, Dominguez named Frenkie de Jong, saying:

“I’ve said it before, but Frenkie. Wow… in training, when he came back after his ankle injury, he did everything right. If you had a problem, you passed it to him and he solved any situation.

“Of course, Lamine is top-notch, but I already knew that. For me, it’s Frenkie.”

On La Masia

Even though he was not a regular starter, Dominguez appreciates the opportunity to stay in the first-team dynamics, given the amount of talent coming through at La Masia.

“When you’re at Barça, you don’t realise how big it is. Dro, Toni, Jofre, the ones who are there now, everything from training to playing to being called up. It’s crazy. Very few people have that opportunity,” he said.

“You have to be grateful and try to improve by training with the best.”

Regarding the precedent set by Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, who became household names at the age of 16, he noted:

“It may have made people more eager to move up, yes. But what these two have done is not normal. To do that at 16, in their first year… I think you have to be patient. Of course, it’s better to start at 16 than at 19, but it’s not normal.”

Opening up on the situation of his close friend, Marc Bernal, who is being slowly reintegrated after an ACL injury, Dominguez said:

“I spoke to him just before this call. He understands the situation, he’s been out for a year and now it’s difficult to get back in because the results are tighter. But I have no doubt that when he gets his chance, he’ll make the most of it, he’s very good.

“The midfielders we have now are very good, Frenkie and Pedri, but in the future he’ll be Barça’s starting midfielder, 100%.”

On Barcelona’s current season

Sergi Dominguez dreams of a Barcelona return. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Discussing Barcelona’s form this season, Dominguez acknowledged that the team had gone through some difficult phases but will bounce back.

“I think the team is doing well. Obviously, they had a better start last year. But between injuries and other factors, people coming and going, it’s more difficult to build a team. Once everyone gets back into their rhythm, they’ll fly,” said the Dinamo Zagreb star.

“They did it last year and this year, with more experience, I’m sure they’ll go up, 100%.”

On whether Inigo Martinez’s departure has hurt the team, he responded: “When you lose an undisputed starter, you notice it. But the rest of the centre-backs are more than capable of playing on the left or right. Of course, it’s difficult to fit the pieces into the puzzle.

“Inigo was the one who led the line. He had that extra bit of experience and personality.”

Concluding, Dominguez made it clear that his objective is return to Barcelona in the future, saying:

“My goal is to return home, I have everything in Barcelona. The ultimate goal would be to play for Barça again. It’s difficult, but I’ll try my hardest. I have everything there, my home, friends, family. It would be the best thing that could happen to me.

“But I have to prove myself, play, and if the opportunity arises, hopefully. If not, I’ll keep going. Obviously, becoming an elite professional player, establishing myself and being a good centre-back, that’s the immediate goal.

“But the ultimate goal is to play for Barça. But to do that, I have to accumulate minutes and prove myself.”