About 8000km separate Barcelona and Kolkata, the cities bookending Jofre Mateu’s footballing journey. A product of the prolific youth system at La Masia, Barcelona’s renowned football academy, Mateu made his debut for the Blaugrana in May 1998, and went on to spend five years playing in the Catalan capital. A roving career followed, taking him across Spain, including stints at Levante, Espanyol, Rayo Vallecano and Girano.
After 17 years in Spain, Jofre decided to embark on a new adventure, joining the Indian Super League (ISL) in 2014 for its debut season, where he lined up for the eventual champions Atletico de Kolkata. A season later, he switched to FC Goa in what would turn out to be his last chapter as a player.
Ahead of the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday night, My Kolkata caught up with Jofre to reflect on his time in the ISL, the values of La Masia, and of course, the major talking points before the biggest club football game of the year.
Edited excerpts from the conversation follow.
‘Real Madrid are favourites… this season is their time’
Liverpool may be the stronger team, but Real Madrid seem to have destiny on their side, according to Jofre UEFA
My Kolkata: With the UEFA Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid this Saturday, who are you picking to triumph in Paris and why?
Jofre Mateu: It’s not easy. If you look at the entire season, in terms of form and the feeling around the squad, Liverpool have probably been the stronger team. Having said that, the way Real Madrid have dug themselves out of one hole after another and come back from losing positions, they’ve got to be the favourites in my book. For the simple reason that they’ll know that this season is their time. Either way, it’s going to be a very open game.
Jurgen Klopp’s tactics will determine how Carlo Ancelotti reacts on Saturday, feels Jofre Indian Super League
If you were Carlo Ancelotti, would you stick to Real Madrid’s approach of playing deep and hitting teams on the break, which has served them so well against the likes of PSG, Chelsea and Manchester City? Or would you do something different to counter Jurgen Klopp’s high-pressing Liverpool?
Real Madrid are the kind of team under Ancelotti that can adjust to any situation. If needed, they can keep possession and pass teams to death, with the likes of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos dictating play in midfield. But, as we’ve seen so far in the Champions League, they prefer to play on the break. That’s what I expect them to do against Liverpool, too, but it won’t be easy. Real will have to do a lot of the running against Liverpool and Ancelotti will be reactive in his approach to what Klopp does at the other end. Ancelotti likes to keep things simple and I don’t think he’ll do anything extraordinary for the final. He’ll simply try to counter what Klopp proposes with his Liverpool team in attack.
‘Karim Benzema is going to win the Ballon d’Or’
If it were to Jofre, Karim Benzema would be succeeding Lionel Messi as the Ballon d’Or Indian Super League
Both Karim Benzema and Mohamed Salah have had prolific seasons for their respective clubs, finishing as top scorers and top assist-makers in La Liga and the Premier League, respectively. Would it be too early to say that whoever wins the UCL final on Saturday will also end up securing this year’s Ballon d’Or (to be awarded on October 17)?
No, it won’t be too early. But I’m convinced that it’s going to be Karim Benzema who’s going to win the Ballon d’Or, even if he doesn’t win the match on Saturday. Of course, should Liverpool win the Champions League, Salah’s candidacy will become stronger. But, for me, Benzema has been on a different level this season, often carrying Real on his own and also winning La Liga.
‘Once you play for Barcelona, you never become a former player’
The values that La Masia instills in its players stay with them forever, explains Jofre Indian Super League
As someone who came up through the ranks at Barcelona’s famed academy of La Masia, could you tell us what it is that makes the academy so special? What are your fondest memories from your time there?
The most special thing about La Masia is the identity it creates in you as a footballer and as a person. Barcelona are more than a club, they are more than a brand. Once you play for Barcelona, you never become a former player. You carry the values of Barcelona everywhere you go. At La Masia, you get to know the Barcelona style of football. There’s a strict focus on how football is to be played, which is tied to the values of the club. These are the values of effort, discipline, teamwork and being good both on and off the pitch. These are things that stay with you all your life.
My fondest memories are also my greatest learnings from La Masia, which are about maturing quickly and taking responsibility. At 16, I already felt like a veteran at La Masia, because I became a big brother to the ones younger than me who were coming through the ranks. One such player was Andres Iniesta. When you’re at La Masia, it’s the people around you who become everything. Your dreams become one. You breathe, sweat and live football.
‘I remember the inaugural game of the ISL… It was quite shocking!’
Having retired from professional football in 2016, Jofre currently works as a football pundit Indian Super League
You finished your playing career in the Indian Super League (ISL), where you played with Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) in the inaugural season, when they were crowned champions. What was that experience like?
I remember the inaugural game of the ISL (ATK’s 3-0 win against Mumbai City FC) at the Salt Lake Stadium, with 80,000 people in the stands. It was quite shocking! Especially for me and the rest of the foriegn players, to whom everything in India seemed so new. The noise was crazy, with the fans, the media and the players. In terms of the season, winning the ISL trophy with ATK was fantastic, one of the best experiences of my professional career.
In the first ISL season, the ATK camp had players from different continents, languages and cultures. What was the dressing room atmosphere like and how quickly did you manage to blend in?
It was different, I wasn’t used to something like that. But as a senior footballer, I really enjoyed being a role model to the players and guiding the youngsters. To be honest, I didn’t expect there to be so much focus on us throughout the tournament, but in the end, we got used to it.
‘The City of Joy is absolute chaos!’
When he returns to Kolkata, a visit to Park Street and the city’s spice markets are on top of Jofre’s list of priorities @Jofre Mateu/Instagram
Finally, what sort of a connection did you develop with Kolkata during your time with ATK? And what is the first thing you would like to do in Kolkata whenever you are back?
I think the City of Joy is absolute chaos! I remember looking down from the 14th floor of my hotel in Kolkata — the lights, the noise, the traffic… it was incredible. But I loved my time in Kolkata and India in general. I remember someone telling me that you’d love India for the same reasons that you’d hate it. It proved true.
Whenever I come back to Kolkata, and if I’m alone, I’d head over to Park Street for food. But if I’m returning with other people as a tourist, I’d love to check out the spice markets in the city before anything else.
Jofre picks Ronaldinho as the one footballer he wish he had played alongside TT archives
Time for a rapid fire now. The greatest player you have played with.
Predraj Mijatovic
One player, past or present, you wish you had played with
Ronaldinho
The best footballing advice you have ever received
Never lose your passion
Your favourite hobby or passion outside football
Astronomy
Watch the UEFA Champions League 2021-22 Final - Liverpool vs Real Madrid LIVE on SONY TEN 2 (English), SONY TEN 3 (Hindi) & SONY TEN 4 (Tamil & Telugu) channels on May 29 at 12.30am IST.