Juan Bernat: “Training with Messi is something else”

Juan Bernat, full-back for Eibar, says he’s back to enjoying football after two surgeries for a pubalgia that left him without the continuity he wanted. In an interview with MARCA, the Valencian player explains that his main goal was to get through pre-season properly, and that only now—after months of recovery—has he been able to build the work that lets you start the season with real rhythm.

Pubalgia and pre-season

Bernat admits the recovery period, including training alone, was difficult. He stresses that he never seriously considered quitting, but he also framed the choice in terms of wanting to keep playing in Spain. MARCA also notes that his arrival at Eibar didn’t start smoothly: after making his debut, he suffered a setback with an ankle injury, returned after two weeks but wasn’t right, and then had to stop again—leaving him with only two early appearances to regain match fitness.

“Every day I’m better”

With a starting role in the first three matches, Bernat believes he’s progressing steadily—more pace, more strength in his legs—and says he feels close to reaching his best level. He also points out the mental shift from elite Champions League settings to competing in Segunda, saying the key is humility and the day-to-day satisfaction of training and competing.

Messi memories

Beyond his rehab, the right-back looks back at his time abroad with Bayern and PSG. On working and training around Messi, he puts it bluntly: “Training with Messi is something else; we won’t see anyone like him again.” He contrasts that star-studded dressing room—where managing egos and even language differences can be tough—with the Eibar environment, which he describes as a close group of friends.

MARCA adds that Bernat would trade “some” of his 18 titles for promotion to Primera with Eibar, while making clear his decision was driven more by playing in Spain than by money.