Navarro: "I have a lot left to give"

Juan Carlos Navarro made his debut for Barça Regal on November 23, 1997, against CB Granada. This Friday is the 15th anniversary since the legend donned the Blaugrana strip for the first time. The Barça Regal captain has played a total of 801 matches for the club, and in a recent interview with fcbarcelona.com he declared: “I have a lot left to give.”

The player went on to say that “nobody could have imagined” that he would be playing for the Blaugrana for 15 years. “I’m the first one that can hardly believe it,” he added. When asked about his first game he said, “I was nervous. Right before I stood up the fans starting clapping ... I hadn’t done anything yet. The only thing I could think about to not make a stupid mistake.”

His time in the United States

When asked about the one season he spent playing in the NBA, the Barça Regal captain said, “I always had that itch to test myself against the best basketball players in the world and I don’t regret it.” He added: “It was a great experience in every way and I learned a lot. When I finished my first year in the NBA I had offers to stay but my mind was made up as soon as the offer from Barça Regal came in. We reached an agreement immediately. Barça wanted me back and I wanted to come back. It was the best choice.”

Navarro’s best memory with the Blaugrana strip

“I have a lot of good memories here,” said Navarro when asked about his best moments as a Barça Regal player. “I have a lot of memories and the team has won a lot of titles. The Club’s first Euroleague title is probably one of my favourite moments. But the one we won in Paris in 2010 is special to me because I was much more important to the team.” He added: “I was also named MVP of the tournament. It was the culmination of a lot of things: dedication, hard work and sacrifice. The league title we won against Real Madrid last season was also special.”

While titles are an important part to a player’s career, Navarro quickly noted “that titles aren’t everything. There are specific games that will also be special to me, not because we won but for what they stood for at the time.”

What does the future hold for Navarro

“I expect to win more titles. I still have a few years left on my contract with the Club and I’d like the team to continue to be as successful as we have been in the past,” said Navarro. Finally, the Barça captain concluded his interview by saying: “I will never get tired of winning. And when I retire, I’d like to be able to look back and say that I helped grow the Club. I still have a lot left to give.”