João Félix: 'Big games get me going most'

With little more than 48 hours to go before the showdown in Paris in the first leg of the Champions League quarter final, João Félix has said that "we might be in our best form of the season." So, this is the ideal time to be facing one of the toughest tests of the season so far, with everything starting at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday at 9pm CEST.

Speaking on the Tot Costa show on Catalunya Ràdio, Félix insisted that "this is not a normal game. These last few days have been ideal to make that clear to ourselves and prepare properly. We have to do what we have been training for, which is to win."

And on an unbeaten spree of 11 matches, "we are in the best form of the season. We started well but then we had a phase that wasn't so good and now we're good again and well motivated."

"It's big games that get me going the most. That's not to take anything away from smaller teams but when they just play to defend it's very hard to score goals. When they try to match us, things tend to work out better for us. we have a lot of quality and things go better."

As for the game in Paris, he reckons that "we both have the same chances. It's going to be a tight contest, two teams with very good players. We have faith in what we can do."

Asked about Mbappé, he offered that "he might be the best forward in the world. He can use his feet, attack space and has a lot of quality. He's decisive, he makes a difference. But I don't think we need to change the way we defend because of one or two individuals."

This season, he has sometimes been starting, but is also being used as a super-sub, like his brilliant assist against Las Palmas. "I'm one more to help the team" he said. "But of course I always want to start. This is my situation at the moment and all I can do is try to help, like I did in the last game. There's very tough competition and at certain times some players are playing better than others, but I have never let my head drop."

He's currently only at the club on loan, and insists that now is not the time to be worrying about his future. However, when asked if he intends to stay at Barça, he had no qualms about saying "yes, I'm very happy here, my family like it. I love the club, the people, the squad are tremendous."

As for his coach, Xavi, "he's fantastic. He understands the players well and what it means to represent Barça. We are on his side."

Such is his love of the club that he is also a regular at the Palau Blaugrana watching the different indoor sports, such as the basketball team's Clásico victory on Sunday. "I have always been very attached to sport" he explains. "Since I was small they took me to see different matches. The atmosphere at the Palau is spectacular and I go whenever I can."