BARCELONA -- The last eight months have whizzed by for Jasper Cillessen since he joined Barcelona from Ajax. However, since the completion of his dream move the Dutch goalkeeper has played just 810 minutes football, and it's even been suggested he could leave the club if he's unable to knock Marc-Andre ter Stegen out of the No. 1 spot.
But Cillessen is a goalkeeper who has always had to fight. At the age of 21 he ousted Gabor Babos at NEC Nijmegen and then, after two seasons on the bench, forced Kenneth Vermeer out of the Ajax goal too. Now the Netherlands international will have do it all again as he battles with Ter Stegen at Barca.
Circumstances have been against him so far, though. Ter Stegen has the benefit of being in his third season with the Catalan club; Cillessen, meanwhile, has spent the eight months settling into a new home outside of the city, learning a new language and getting to know his teammates.
Speaking exclusively to ESPN FC ahead of Saturday's Copa del Rey final against Alaves, a match the 28-year-old is expected to start, the goalkeeper was keen to reiterate that "leaving is not an option" as he plans for a long future at Camp Nou.
Q. Does coming from Ajax make it easier to adapt to your surroundings at Barcelona?
A. It helps to have time at Ajax [before] coming to Barcelona because the way of playing is similar and that's important. Every other team plays in different ways but at Ajax we wanted to play football as well [as Barca] and that helps me a lot.
But I still needed to adapt to the level of play of Barcelona because it is so much higher. It's more detailed and much higher, much more speed.
Q. With that higher standard and not knowing the language, was it hard to begin with?
A. The first few weeks were a problem because you need to learn the language of football on the pitch, because everything is in Spanish. I think after two months I understood most of it and I can now talk to my defenders in the football language -- in the dressing room is different! But I think I showed in the cup games and in the Champions League that we understand each other now.
Q. Have you struggled with Spanish?
A. First you need to get used to the level of playing. Early on that took all my energy. The funny thing was I took Spanish class straight after training in the first month, but 10 minutes later nothing went in. I was so tired, mentally and physically.
Now I have Spanish class later in the afternoon, two times a week and when it's possible three times. But when you play for Barcelona it is three games a week and can be difficult [to do three].
Q. Do you feel you've settled into life in the city now?
For me it was a big step [coming to Spain], but for my girlfriend it was even bigger. She gave up her job to come here and she arranged everything for the house and everything, it's crazy what she had to do. She does everything so I can just focus on football.
We live outside the city, because I grew up in Groesbeek, it's a small village so I'm not going to live in the city of Barcelona. When I was at Ajax I lived outside the city and not in Amsterdam because it's not as crowded. The people where I live now are used to [players living nearby], luckily for me I live in the same village as a lot of the other guys, so I am not the biggest player. I can get along with my life, no problems.
Q. Have you still been able to get to know Barcelona?
I haven't spent much time getting to know the city. Like in Amsterdam, I am not here as a tourist. I go to the city to have dinner with girlfriend or my friends and family, but most of the time I'm relaxed at home because I'm recovering from training. I watch -- it seems strange to say because it's not common here -- but a lot of Dutch football, of course.
Q. How would you rate your first year? Is it true you said you'd think about leaving in the winter if you weren't playing more regularly?
A. I [still] need to adapt, but I think I've done well and I hope other people think that as well. Now, for myself, I think I have that base and I hope I can take the next step. Next year I want to play more games and let's hope I can do that and keep fighting for the No. 1 spot.
You want to become the best goalkeeper you can. You want to play as many games as you can. One newspaper said I wanted to leave in the winter break [if not playing next season] but I never said it. I never said it because I want to become the No. 1 here and leaving is not an option for me.
Q. How's your relationship with Marc-Andre ter Stegen?
A. The relationship with Marc is good. He knows what I want and I know what he wants. We know we have to make each other better and the coach decides [who plays], it's not like Marc makes the choice -- but in the end he does make the choice because when he makes the saves I've got a problem!
But it's not like I'm playing s----y balls to him so he can get a bad feeling [in training], because in the end we want to win as a team. Because that's what I've always done.
Q. And next year a new coach will have to decide...
A. Yes. Luis Enrique and I have a good relationship, so for me it's sad that he is leaving. But a club as big as Barcelona is not just about the manager coming in, I think they have a good team of specialists and scouts thinking what is the philosophy of Barcelona. It's not just like one coach can change the philosophy.
I think clubs should work like that: if a manager leaves and the new manager changes the philosophy of the club you've got a problem. At Ajax we didn't have the problem because Ajax has had the same philosophy for decades and the same is true at Barcelona as well.