At the end of his contract next summer, Parisian defender Juan Bernat told AFP that he was negotiating an extension and wanted to stay “for many years” at PSG, hoping to return to competition “in February, or mid-March” after his serious knee injury.
How is your injury progressing? When can you replay?
Juan Bernat: I think in February, or mid-March, I could be back. This is the moment when the titles start to be decided, I want to try to win as many as possible. Maybe in December I can start running again. The exercises with the ball, it will be for January perhaps. For now, I am focused on the everyday, I exercise so as not to lose too much muscle mass. This is very important, because the more you lose, the harder it is to come back.
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What happened on the day of your rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the left knee, on September 16 against Metz?
There are those who say that we hear a “crack”, I haven’t heard any. But I knew I had something because right away I was in a lot of pain, my whole knee blocked. Until the doctor arrived in the field, I was even shaking. He said “breathe” to me, I calmed down a bit, I breathed, and I was able to bend my knee a little more. But I knew I had something serious.
“I think there is little chance (that I will dispute the Euro)”
How are you holding up, especially during this period of confinement?
From the day of my injury, I accepted it. (…) Here, it happened to me, I am injured, it is a serious and long injury. Every day I do the same thing. At the moment (with the confinement) I am not leaving my house, it may be better not to be distracted, and to rest my knee. In the head, it’s a little more complicated (…). But hey, I am very motivated to recover.
All Bernat’s goals in the Champions League with PSG
What are your chances of going to the Euro (June 11-July 11, 2021) with Spain?
It’s difficult. Frankly, I think there is little chance. There is a lot of talent in the Spain team, it is not easy to be there. In the end, I will play two, three months maximum throughout the season, and the competition is very tough. The team will be practically done and it will be difficult to be there.
Your contract at PSG ends next June, do you want to extend it? Where are the negotiations at?
Yes Yes. We are talking about the contract, negotiations are open, but for the moment nothing is done. But I believe they will succeed.
At 27, do you plan to stay away from Spain for a long time? After Valencia (2011-2014), would you like to play in La Liga again?
I have always said that I was very happy in Paris, I want to stay here for many years. But it’s also true that I would like to play again one day, I don’t know when, in La Liga. It’s my country’s championship and I haven’t been able to enjoy it much.
“It was Tuchel who demanded that I come here”
Would you like Sergio Ramos to join you at PSG, as some Spanish media mention?
(Laughs) It’s true, he’s a leader, a very great player, he has shown it in his career: an incredible player, a lot of character … but I can’t say anything more, it is only rumors.
What relationship do you have with coach Thomas Tuchel?
I get along very well with him. He speaks to me a little in German, with what I learned when I was at Bayern. He’s the one who demanded that I come here, he trusted me a lot from the start, and I try to give it back to him on the pitch.
How is the atmosphere in the group? We are talking about tensions between the coach and the management …
No, these are rumors. These are things that are said on the outside, but I don’t attach much importance to them. I am focused on what is going on in the club, in the locker room, and the relationship with the group is very good. Now, with confinement, we can no longer meet for a meal or go to each other, but the group is very united and we already saw it last season, we only missed the Champions League . We did not succeed, but the group is and remains very united.
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