Martin Odegaard: “It will be special for me to face Real Madrid”

Martin Odegaard is set to miss his second consecutive match tomorrow as Real Sociedad take on Leganes. The 20-year-old picked up a contusion after taking a hard hit to his angle vs Celta Vigo. After playing 11 straight matches, and the full 90 minutes in each of those matches, a rest may have been due. Now the Norwegian has his mind firmly fixed on the game vs Real Madrid following the international break. The young loanee took some time out to speak with Radio MARCA and talked about the upcoming match.

“It will be special for me to face Real Madrid,” he said. “I still have friends there and I talk to some of them, like Fede Valverde. I’m glad he’s doing well and I always watch their games whenever I can. They have some incredible players and I really like Luka Modric”.

The interview then turned to the direction of his current team, Real Sociedad, from the good atmosphere shared among the squad to the responsibilities Alguacil has passed on to Martin. “I have the good fortune of playing in a really good team, and because of that, everything is much easier for me. We are playing well. We want to go for Europe, but every team wants that. We need to continue to work hard and take it day by day. The atmosphere among the squad is special, I never been part of a team with such great comradery in my whole life”, he revealed.

Odegaard also had only words of praise for his manager, Imanol Alguacil, “He is a very, very good manager. I am learning every single day. What does he ask of me? Many things - without the ball: to press well, to win my duels, and with the ball: to create opportunities and to provide assists. Every thing is very clear and it’s easy to understand as a player. He has been very important in my adaptation to the team”, he concluded.

As he has often reiterated in many interviews, Odegaard has again stated that he is happy in San Sebastian, but there was a slightly different tune this time:” I am very happy here. Two years? For me, that was really important. My plan is to stay here two years, but it depends on a lot of things. Do I have a girlfriend in San Sebastian to help me stay longer? I don’t know, I think I prefer Norwegian girls!”, he joked.

This is the first time Odegaard has slightly changed his tune or wording in regards to the two year-loan deal. If Madrid insist on his return, it could ultimately be just one year.