Marc Pubill, the world champion who seduced Barça

BarcelonaMarc Pubill will meet Barça again this Sunday (9 p.m., Movistar LaLiga), this time from a place that only a few years ago seemed hard to imagine. The Atlético de Madrid defender is now a starter on a Champions League team and has just been proclaimed world champion with the Spanish national team. Facing him will be a club that knocked on his door several times and was interested in him both during his time at Levante and after winning the Olympic Games. Pubill's path to the elite had begun long before, when Espanyol decided to let him go and he had to return to Manresa.

Starting over

Born in Terrassa in 2003, Pubill had spent six years at Espanyol, but the club decided to let him go because they considered he did not have enough physical conditions to continue progressing. "For the family it was a hard blow, a very complicated moment. We had to start over from scratch," explains his father, Ignasi Pubill, in an interview with ARA. Instead of giving up, the family decided to return to Manresa and start anew. "It has been part of the learning process and has been key to reaching where he is now," he adds.

That return came when Marc was only 15 years old. The first few months it was difficult for him to reconnect with football, but the situation changed over time. "I have always thought that football is played with the head and not with the feet," explains Ignasi, who recalls that the first year was complicated, but with time they saw clearly that his son could reach the elite. "The three years at Manresa were key for him to recover confidence and start progressing again."

Marc Pubill during his time in Espanyol's youth setup.

The Levante bet

The return to Manresa ended up opening the door to professional football for him. Xavi Camps, who worked as a scout for Levante, discovered him during that stage and was one of the people who bet on bringing him to the Valencian club. "He had psychotechnical conditions above average. That was the first impact, his physical profile," he explains in statements to the ARA newspaper. He also saw a footballer capable of adapting to different situations and positions: "He was a player very adaptable to modern football, clearly of First Division level."

But there was another aspect that, for Camps, set him apart: "He had a hunger to eat up the pitch that confirmed to me that, in addition to being a good player, there was a very important psychological part." Levante was the first club that took the step to sign him and got ahead of other teams like Valencia and Girona. Pubill's family also especially valued the environment he found in Valencia. "There was a lot of warmth, a very close and familiar environment," explains Camps.

Barça's interest

"We have always known about Barça's interest. There has always been a good relationship between both parties and they contacted us several times to find out about Marc's situation," explains Ignasi Pubill. The defender's father assures that the azulgrana club had repeatedly shown a desire to sign him, but that the operation never came to fruition.

According to Ignasi, the moment the signing was closest was when Marc was playing for Almeria, the summer after the 2024 Olympic Games. "That was the moment when there were the most contacts and it was closest to happening." Even so, the conversations did not end up bearing fruit. "In the end it didn't happen, but well, destiny has brought us here," adds the father, who now sees his son at Atlético de Madrid, precisely against Barça.

Before arriving in Madrid, however, Pubill experienced one of the strangest episodes of his career with Atalanta. The Italian club had agreed on his signing with Almeria, but the operation fell through after the medical exams. Ignasi Pubill recalls that his son had undergone knee surgery at the beginning of the season and that he had recovered in three months. "Since that day, two and a half seasons ago now, Marc has not had any knee problems". Regarding the diagnosis that thwarted the signing, he is blunt: "Whatever the reason, they made that up. Whether it was because the club had an agreement with another player... we will never know, but it is clear that that doctor invented Marc's injury".

The new role with Simeone

At Atlético de Madrid, Marc Pubill has found a context that has allowed him to continue evolving. The change of position from full-back to center-back required time, but from the very first moment, the footballer took on the challenge calmly. "Since he arrived, Marc felt something special. Even though he wasn't playing at the beginning, he was very calm". His father also highlights the work of thestaff, who dedicated time to help him adapt to a new position: "They were very patient with him".

In this process, Diego Simeone has played an important role. Ignasi explains that they often talk to his son about the Argentine coach's high demands. "I tell him not to lower his intensity, and he tells me it's impossible, that the coach doesn't let you". He also highlights the way he relates to the players. "He is a very honest person, he is straightforward with the players, he always says what he thinks and demands the maximum from you. An athlete cannot ask for more from a coach".

The future is uncertain. Pubill is happy in Madrid, but his father remembers that sporting decisions do not depend solely on the footballer. "Just because Marc wants to be there doesn't mean the sporting management won't decide at some point that it's better to let him go". The family is very comfortable in Madrid, although Ignasi acknowledges that the distance from home is noticeable. "Some day we will return home. The truth is that we are very well here, but you always miss family", he concludes.