The 20-year-old Spanish midfielder Chema from Stuttgart was interviewed and talked about his new life in Germany, his role in the team, the reason for choosing Stuttgart, his role model and other topics.

Tell us about your role in the Spanish U21 national team?

It is always an honor to be in the U21 national team, and I am very happy to be selected for consecutive selections. Here, our players born in 2005 are still juniors, and there are many prestigious players in the team, such as Christian Mosquera and Gonzalo, who are our role models.

What role do you play in Stuttgart?

In Germany, I am a "rookie". But I like this learning role, being a newbie. The seniors will teach you some things and let you understand the rules here.

How did you feel during the first few months in Germany?

I came to Stuttgart hoping to play and get playing time. Things have gone a little quicker than we all expected, but I'm happy to have gotten the playing time and hope to continue that way.

Why did you decide to go to Germany in the first place?

After evaluating all of our options, we decided that Germany and Stuttgart would be the best fit for me and my idea of ​​gaining experience. Stuttgart are a great club in Germany and they have been very brave in betting on young people in recent years and that's what I need. A club that believes in young people and isn't afraid to push them onto the stage. In addition, after talking to several coaches I have worked with, they told me that it would be good for me to go abroad and face another style of football and life... This change of environment will be beneficial to my growth as a player and as a person.

How would you rate your teammate Ann Stiller?

His performance at the beginning of this season reflects his level as a player. He is our helmsman, our core player; in Stuttgart, everything happened as Stiller wanted. He is a very complete player.

How is it adjusting to personal life in Germany?

Much better than I imagined. When I arrived in Germany I knew almost no one. I was lucky enough to meet Noah Darvich, who spent two years in the youth academy at Barcelona and he gave me a lot of support because he speaks Spanish very well, which was really important. Other teammates like Ramon Hendricks and Maximilian Mittelstadt also helped me a lot. They would make fun of my German, but that was okay.

About the comparisons between you and Rodri

Yes, they do say that, but the only thing we have in common is that we both have our jerseys tucked into our pants. At the end of the day, he's a great player and I'm trying to be like him. He is a role model for all Spanish players, especially in my position, because we can see ourselves in him and hope to reach his level one day.

Who is your sports idol?

There are two people. One is Nadal, the greatest, or one of the greatest, athletes in this country; his mentality of work, perseverance and perseverance is incredible. Also, I love golf, so I would say Woods. I didn’t live through his entire era, but all the videos I’ve seen of him playing made me think he was an incredible person. He dominated the world of golf, a sport where it's hard to stay at the top, but he did it with an amazing mentality.