"The problem at Barca was with me. It was the pressure and expectation I put on myself, not that of the fans or the club," tells Andre Gomes to Everton media during his press-conference as a Toffees' player.
"I think the first year was good and the second was difficult dealing with expectations," confesses the Portuguese.
"You also learn about your mistakes when you are not good, or not at a level you are expected to be. That is more the problem: the expectations on yourself and how you are not capable of doing something when you are not at that level."
However, the 25-year-old tells he doesn't seem himself as a failure and appreciates the time he has spent there with his former teammates.
"I don’t feel like I failed. It was a really good experience in Barcelona. For me it was really good to play with Iniesta, with Busquets, with Messi, with Suárez. You can really enjoy the training sessions, learn a lot, especially in the game, and when you play Champions League every week, cup games, derbies against Madrid. It’s a kind of different pressure but you learn a lot."
Gomes is now cheerful ahead of his first season as an official Toffees' player.
"Fans now know me, the club knows me, the manager is expecting me to do the same things but to keep improving,” he said. "The mindset for me is to keep improving and do better. If I continue doing this, I have to take responsibility and help others. That is normal."
The Portuguese has had 78 appearances for FC Barcelona, in which he scored 3 times and made 4 assists.
The player has been sold to the English Premier League side for €25m.
