"When I first saw him, I was quite intimidated by Flick," admitted Casado at an event for his new sponsorship deal with Under Armour.

Regarding the German's temperament, the 21-year-old from Sant Pere de Vilamajor revealed, "There have been tense moments with us; sometimes the gaffer gets cross."

However, Casado was quick to praise Flick's management style, saying, "He's a top manager who handles the dressing room brilliantly. There have been far more good times than bad."

Casado, who has featured in 21 matches with five assists across all competitions this season, expressed his leadership ambitions: "I have the soul of a leader and I hope to help Barça for many years to come."

He also reflected on being compared to some of the greatest midfielders in history, stating, "It's incredible that I'm now mentioned alongside the best. Four years ago, I was watching them on TV, never imagining I'd be compared to them one day."

On adapting to the first team, he noted, "It's a long journey. I've been playing football all my life, and there are times when the top seems closer, and others when it feels further away. The key is to have self-belief, to know you can make it, and to work your hardest."

This Thursday, Casado spoke at a promotional event ahead of Saturday's crucial La Liga match against Atletico Madrid, where the league leadership is at stake. Coming off two home losses against Las Palmas and Leganes at Montjuic, he said, "We're eager to turn around our negative home form. We've identified what needs to be improved and we know what we must do to win. Atletico plays with a lot of intensity, and we must at least match that."

He highlighted two memorable games this season: "This year has had some very special moments. Firstly, making it to the first team was always my childhood dream. Other beautiful moments were the victories against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid."

Now firmly entrenched in the first team, Casado understands the effort it took to get there, reiterating, "It's a long journey. I've been playing football all my life, and there are times when the top seems closer, and others when it feels further away.

"The key is to have self-belief, to know you can make it, and to work your hardest."

Marc Casado, from youth dream to Barcelona's midfield maestro