I like to improve myself every day and whatever my performance, I will always believe I can do better.
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I almost missed the chance to join Barcelona because I was on holiday in Mali visiting my parents' family for the first time. We spent all summer there and every day Barcelona were calling my mother's phone and getting no reply because she had left it in Barcelona.
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Whatever the situation, I am always confident in myself and work hard.
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I spoke to Mali and they understand; I've never lived there and I never said I was going there, my intention was always to play with Spain.
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Players like Messi and Xavi are always hungry. Whatever the game or the competition - even if it is table-tennis - they want to win. We used to play two-touch football games after training and they would always be desperate to win. It taught you about life as well as football.
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Barcelona is the best education possible. Training with Messi is something I will never forget - he was always the last off the pitch and working incredibly hard in the gym. If he is the best player in the world and works so hard, who are we? You can have all the crazy talent but you need to work.
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It was difficult at Villa because they'd struggled for two years and I'd come mainly from Barcelona B in the second division in Spain. I needed time to adapt but Tim Sherwood and Remi Garde had to win games; they didn't have time to think about little things about my game. It was a bad moment, it was such a hard, sad experience.
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I think the time I spent at Aston Villa was difficult. It was a difficult time and a difficult moment for the team.
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About Mali, they came to my house. We spoke and after that, the guy posed for a picture giving me a Mali shirt. With Spain I didn't go because I was injured. When the time comes, you will see which team I decide.