Samu Chukwueze: "I never hear what they shout at me from the stands, you have to concentrate on the game"

Samuel Chukwueze (Ikwuano, Nigeria, 24 years old) may be the most unbalanced player of the second half of the League. Pure extreme, it worships the old trade of the haggler. Thanks to his actions, Villarreal secures fifth place in the classification of a championship marked by a scandal that recalls that racism nests in Spanish stadiums. No one knows this better than this young dreamer and distracted who says he does not pronounce on the Vinicius case. He prefers to face human miseries in silence and with the ball in his foot.

Question. It was always said that extremes are crazy. Do they like the proximity of the audience, like the actors?

Answer. It depends on whether you are winning or losing. If you win, the audience thinks everything is fantastic. If you are losing, you can dribble and play well it doesn't matter. You feel the disappointment so close...

Q. Do you hear what they shout at you?

A. Never. You have to concentrate on the match. I never look at the stands. I can't even look at people. Those who cheer you today will be the same ones who hate you tomorrow and say you play shit. That's the way it is. You can't listen to the crowd to get into the game. If things go well for you, perfect, if not, you motivate yourself. If you don't believe in yourself, you can't help your team either.

I never hear what they shout. You have to concentrate on the match. I never look at the stands. I can't even look at people.

Q. Do you prefer the wing or the center where you get closer to the goal?

A. In the band I usually find myself more comfortable because that's where I can show my ability, my talent, my potential to dribble and run into space. In the middle you can score more goals, and on the wing is where you have to create spaces and opportunities for others to score. The ends we manufacture the spaces on our own.

Q. Do you like to feel like you're not just someone who goes and pushes the ball into the net?

A. I like to feel that I can create chances by myself. I don't have to hide. It's something I know I can do. If a player dribbles the spaces open, if he dribbles two the chance of goal is clear. There are a lot of people who can pass the buck. But if you have a player who can break the knot of a defense with a dribble, that's decisive.

Q. Are the wingers dying out like the lions of Africa or are the wingers and defenders better prepared every day?

A. Breaking defenses is getting harder every day. You must learn to play with rivals and with your teammates. If the game starts and you see that your marker is on you, attack the space, run to his back without the ball. It is very likely that after two or three unmarks he will feel insecure and no longer stick to you so much because he fears your diagonal and decides to wait for you. When that happens you gain space to receive the ball at the foot, turn and face it. If the defender looks for contact before you receive, run into space; If he decides to wait for you, charge him and kill him. It's a game. This is how spaces are generated: getting the defender not to know what you will do, if you go or you return. And then, pam!

If the defender looks for contact before you receive, run into space; If he decides to wait for you, charge him and 'kill him'. It's a game. This is how spaces are generated

Q. He says he learned from Arjen Robben. What did you learn?

A. That even though all the defenders knew what he was going to do, whenever he received the ball he went inside. He hooked to his left and fired. It was fantastic. So fast! The defenders thought, 'I know what he does but maybe not today.' And he did it again! Defenses have too much blood in their veins, they feel the need to move, and that leads them to deception.

Q. What if instead of entering the defenders retreat?

A. When the defenders back up I use the ball to go get them. How far are they going to go back? Up to his goal?

Q. Power? Sensitivity to drive the ball? Eye to see the supports of the rival and attack him when he is unbalanced ...? What does a dribbler have to have to win duels against stronger and stronger defenses?

A. It's up to you: if you want to make them strong, they will be strong. You have to focus on your skills. It does not matter if the sides are fast, tall or giant. The most important thing is to believe in yourself. If you truly believe, there is no one stronger than you. It's a state of mind. When I'm on the right mental wave, I can dribble two or three opponents in a row. Sometimes you walk into the field and you know you're going to dribble a guy four times because you're on the wave. I look at the defender before I receive the ball. Then the important thing is my movement with the body so that he enters the deception and moves to the wrong side. Power is not good for dribbling: flexibility is good. The power makes you too rigid.

It's up to you: if you want to make them strong, your rivals will be strong. It does not matter if they are fast, tall or giant. Dribling is a state of mind. When I'm on the wave I can haggle two or three in a row

Q. What kind of relationship do you establish with the sides? Do you see them as enemies?

A. Neither they nor I want to lose. When you lose the days and nights become very long.

Q. Your markers suffer. What would you say?

A. Watch my video clips.

Q. Would that give them an advantage?

A. No. Because when they play against me those clips will already be the old clips. You never know what will happen in the future. Tomorrow, maybe you'll be the defender who watches my next opponent in another clip.

Q. Do you enjoy it?

A. Yes, because I see that many full-backs do exactly the opposite of what the full-backs who faced me in the previous game did. If the previous one went looking for me, the next one is waiting for me stuck to the area! He watched the previous match clip and is afraid that he will have his back!

Q. How do you know when to go to the ball and when to walk away? Does that require a lot of knowledge?

A. It's very easy to understand football. Especially if you play at Villarreal, who have a lot of the ball. The most important thing is that my teammates know what I am capable of doing: when and how to give the ball to Samuel to drive it to the rival field to create danger, spaces and opportunities. If they don't find me because I'm stuck to the line, I'm the one who has to change the stage by running to the middle to receive until my markers don't know if I'm going to control or run, then I can stick to the line again.

I've never been angry. Much less playing football

Q. Do wingers have carte blanche to lose balls? Where is the limit?

A. I take risks when I'm near the 18-yard line [16.5 meters, the front of the box]. There you can do whatever you want because the defenders are afraid: if they touch you it can be a penalty. Not many players can give passes to that area and not many can take advantage of them. When you have midfielders who put the ball near 18 yards, football is much easier for wingers. That's how you win games.

Q. What are the best extremes in the world?

A. Vinicius is fantastic. It's very fast.

Q. Vinicius loses more than 20 balls every game. Do you have the right to lose 20 balls?

A. Depends on. If your team is tired, you can't lose the ball; If your team feels strong, you can risk more. Losses wear down the whole team physically. Bernardo Silva never loses a ball. Jesus Christ, do everything right!

Q. Why have you done so well with Quique Setién?

A. It gave me a lot of confidence. I didn't play before. The 4-3-3 has been very good for me. The scheme gives me more freedom, more space to receive the ball and more coverage when I lose it.

For footballers the body is never the same. You play twice a week and the body doesn't just regenerate. If the mind doesn't keep you up, you fall

Q. If the public messes with you, you don't listen. If Emery left you on the bench you kept calm. If the defenders insult you and threaten to hit you, you go about your business...

A. It's not my problem. Defenders can only hit you if they see your legs. If they don't see them, they don't have anything to hit. Being focused on defending is one thing, concentrating on me is another. When a defender becomes obsessed with hitting you, his anger becomes a problem for his team. They end up losing balls and creating spaces for me or my teammates.

Q. Never got angry?

A. I've never been angry. Let alone playing football. I just get angry with myself for not trying harder, for not taking advantage of my potential, for not combining the desires of the coach with my ability. That's hard. The players have to lose a little bit of ourselves to do what the manager asks. I can do 70% for the technician and 30% for me.

Q. How did you learn to maintain emotional balance?

A. I believe in myself. I was born into a family with good character.

Q. What did your father do?

A. He is a Pentecostal pastor.

Q. Do you read the Bible a lot?

A. Yes. My grandmother just gave me a new one. Every time I go to sleep I read a passage and pray. Quiet my mind: Luke 2:9. "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men." The experience of reading clarifies everything, heals your soul.

Q. Do you support the demand of football thanks to your spiritual life?

A. For footballers the body is never the same. You play twice a week and the body doesn't just regenerate. After each match you feel every physical contact with the opponent. That's the game: contact is your duty. I feel it especially in the ankles. If the mind doesn't keep you up, you fall.

Q. Is it true that Madrid want to sign you?

A. That's just noise. My dream is to play again in Europe with Villarreal. I have a contract until 2024 and I hope not to be free. The Roigs have behaved very well with me. They are like my family. The right thing is for me to leave good money in this club.

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