Victor Valdes

“Guardiola taught me to enjoy football.”

“I don't have any problem with Louis van Gaal. He discovered me when I was 20 years old. He was the only coach who, in that moment, said: 'I want you in the first team.'”

“Anyone who knows me knows I hate talking about money.”

“I have never decided anything in my life for money.”

“As a goalkeeper, you have to take risks even though at times you may make mistakes.”

“Every player has qualities to offer to the group as a whole.”

“I'm lucky to have two colleagues like Casillas and Reina to work with and to help me improve.”

“You need to be brave and confident when you play at the Bernabeu. We have learned how that is the best approach if you want to get a positive result there.”

“I was very lucky to have so many seasons with Pep Guardiola. In addition to being a teacher to many of us, he was always able to communicate greatly with everyone and knowing how to adapt to talk to different people in the dressing room.”

“I respect the opinion of the fans, I am a professional and I have to. However, when they jeer and applaud, I always prefer to remember the applause, it make you stronger.”

“In Barcelona some very big media outlets focused on selling the idea to people that I had done a bad thing by warning the club I was not going to renew. For me it was an act of honesty and appreciation. And the fans understood, so I can only have words of appreciation for the spectacular way they have treated me, for their shows of support.”

“Some guys in the team have asked me whether I had English lessons before I came to Middlesbrough. I told them that I like watching my favourite movies back again but in English, and put on subtitles in Spanish, so maybe that's the reason I had a good level of English before I came here.”

“I've finished games where I've hardly touched the ball yet I've got to the dressing room dead. You think: why? Because psychologically you're completely immersed and that can be more tiring than physical exertion.”

“Celtic create a great atmosphere home and away but I still think the most intimidating stadium I have played in was when we played Rangers. There must be something about the city of Glasgow because they made so much noise.”

“Barca has given me everything and I owe them everything, but being a goalkeeper here takes it out of you.”

“If I play a game, I am always thinking about playing well and to help the other teammates, to help them to win the match.”

“I have been through very hard moments at Barca, was whistled a lot in 2006, and this was a moment when you did not know what would happen.”

“I want to say in a public way thank you to the U21 coach Alan Fettis. Without him I may have given up football.”

“It might not look like it but I'm quite shy. I'm an introvert. That's the way I am, how I feel.”

“It's difficult to play against Henry because he really is a very dangerous player. He can surprise you at any time and it's difficult to know where he is going to send the ball.”