English Premier League kicks off with thrilling action: Weekend 1 overview
With new players, coaches and newly appointed captains from respective clubs, let’s analyse the matches that happened this opening English Premier League weekend.
Arsenal’s speedy full-back Hector Bellerin has attributed his rapid growth as a footballer to a change of scenery in his youth.
“Everything is much more professional in England, at an early age,” he told Arsenal Player.
The Spaniard played in a regionalised league for Catalan giants Barcelona before arriving in north London, where he was given “a really good taste” of what it meant to make it as a footballer.
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“I remember doing hydration tests, body fat tests, mobility tests, looking at the data after the games, during training sessions – everything,” the 22-year-old said.
“When I was at Barcelona it was all about the football. It was a completely different mentality. Also the league was way different in Spain. You play against the other teams in your region,” he added.
“For us that meant Catalonia and we only had a couple of games each season that were difficult for us. That was against Espanyo, the other top division team in the city. But here playing for Arsenal we used to play all around England against other Premier League teams. So the difference was really big in loads of senses.
The travelling part of English football can be good for a young professional feels Bellerin as he stressed, “I also think in England you have to travel a lot and spend nights in hotels from an early age. That gives you a really good taste of what it's like as a pro footballer. You learn early on that it can be a lonely life.”
“You need to realise that from a young age and the fact you have to travel so much to play against teams far from home, gives you an early taste of how it is at the top level,” the full-back added.
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