For Pablo Maffeo, this Monday evening's trip to Girona is like no other.
Our defender not only previously represented the Catalan club and returns from his suspension, but the fixture also marks the final run in of games this season.
At Girona, Maffeo made his debut in LLiga and was the protagonist of a very well-publicised individual marking of Lionel Messi in a match against FC Barcelona in 2017.
To mark the occasion, we spoke with Pablo to find out his thoughts ahead of this Monday, what the final run in looks like and facing Lionel Messi.
Question: Last push of the season, how is the team feeling about it?
Answer: We all have the excitement to be able to do something good. We have previously all fought to avoid relegation or we have been relegated and that is a kind of pressure that I don't want to put on anyone.
Now we are experiencing the other side of the coin, which is a bit of excitement and the desire to know how it will all end. So, we are really looking forward to it.
Q: First stop: Girona. A club where you played. I imagine it's special to go back there, isn't it?
A: It's always special for me to go back to Girona. I consider it my home because that's where I was given the opportunity to be a professional footballer and to make a name for myself. So it's very special for me to go back there.
I love the people and the teammates I had there. It's also true that there are no friends on the pitch and I'm going to give 100%, but I wish them all the best.
Q: From your time at Girona, many people remember that individual marking of Leo Messi. How do you remember that day?
A: It was very special for me to be able to be close to the best player in history and then to be able to share a dressing room with him during my call-up.
But I remember I was in the room with Aleix Garcia that afternoon, we got up from our siesta and I said to him: ‘I'm going to have to work hard today and I'm going to get a good workout’. He looked at me and said: ‘Yes, brother, it's going to blow you away’.
Now I remember it, years later, and it's something I'll always take with me, because I'm proud that Machín [Girona's coach at the time] thought of me to do that. So, I'm grateful.
Q: As you say, you and Messi shared a dressing room with the Argentina national team. Did you talk about that game?
A: I wanted to have a souvenir and a shirt of his and I asked him for it, although I was very embarrassed, because I don't usually do these things and anyone who knows me knows I'm a bit shy.
I asked him to please sign it, because for me it was something that was going to stay with me forever. And he said yes, no problem, and he said: ‘how we started and how we ended’.
That was something that I liked very much because it is something that he remembers too and I think that in a way it was special for him too.
