In this second part of Flashscore's exclusive interview with Azpilicueta, the former Champions League winner discusses how life in Spain is treating him and what it was like being coached by Diego Simeone.
You can read the first part of our interview with Cesar Azpilicueta here.
Hello, Cesar. After two seasons at Atletico Madrid, you joined Sevilla. What's your actual expectation from this chapter, and why Sevilla?
"Well, it was a very unusual summer after my contract ended with Atletico after the Club World Cup. So I tried to prepare myself, waiting for the right project. And when I had the conversations with Sevilla, with the manager, I felt that I could be important, that I could help the team, the club, on and off the pitch.
"And that's the reason why I wanted to have this experience at this club. I know that the last two seasons have not been at the standards that they have been used to in the last couple of seasons. But I try to help, and hopefully we can have a good season."
This is what I'm trying to ask, because Sevilla has had its best start since 2021/22 this season. Is the club on its way back to the glory days, to the glory seasons?
"It's too early to say that. I believe that if we keep working in the same way we are doing every day, competing between us, at the training ground, in the games, we feel that everybody is important. Whether it's playing 90 or one minute or 10 minutes, everybody's important. It's a long season, so we have to be ready for our moment. And I believe that we have a strong team when I see the atmosphere in the stadium.
"Altogether, we can achieve big things, but we have to go step by step."
Sevilla had a brilliant game against Barcelona in their last match. How did you approach it?
"Well, first of all, it's three points. It's true that we played against the leaders, the champions of LaLiga, but I think we have to keep the balance. We know that we haven't won a lot of games at home since 2025. So it was a great atmosphere. We played a great game, but we have to keep this intensity. We tried not to give them a lot of space and time, because their quality, they can find space at any time and the right pass. And with that intensity, that concentration allowed us to win this game.
What impact has Mathias Almeida had on the team? I mean, what's he bringing to the team?
"He's bringing identity to have a strong group. Every day we train in a certain way, the way we want to play. We want to be intense. We want to not give a lot of time to the opponent with the ball, recover, and from there we have very dangerous players up front. So we go step by step, changing the way we approach the games also mentally, how we want to try to win games, which is the most important and most difficult part in football.
"But it's true that in these first eight games, some parts we have played well, others not so well, but we got results as well, which is important. We have to keep building step by step."
Is there any way to compare him with Diego Simeone?
"Well, they are different. I think from all the managers that I have had in my career, each one has a different personality, a different way of seeing football, which for me has been a great advantage, and I learned so much from each one of them, because nobody has the only way of winning football. I always had an open mind, and now with Mathias, it's the same. Trying to learn from a different perspective and trying to help with my experience."
What was Diego Simeone's connection in the dressing room like, something we don't know, let's say?
"Well, he changed the history of the club when he joined Atletico de Madrid in 2011, if I'm right. He brought the club to compete against the biggest clubs in the world, and they won two leagues and played in two Champions League finals. So, it's part of the history of the club.
"Yeah, as a player as well, now as manager for so long, which is very difficult to stay as a manager in the same club for so long. So yeah, I think his passion for the club, you can see every day."
Just one more question. Probably wasn't really happy for you, all you, you. I mean, being knocked out of the Champions League with Atletico Madrid against Real Madrid? How did you take it in the dressing room, that situation?
"It was a shock because over the two games we competed really well, we were very close to going through, and then the penalties... And, you know, it was, it was very shocking and unfortunately it's a bad experience, but it's football and we were very sad.
"We were very frustrated because we could have gone through, and we deserved to go through over the course of the two games. Especially at the beginning of the second game, when we scored the first goal and were pushing to score more. But, you know, you just cannot do anything.
"Just turn the page and try it again the next season."