As Gerard Pique sips his coffee and gazes at the rain crashing against the window pane, you find yourself wondering: what wouldn't he give to swap this Cheshire coffee shop for the equivalent on Las Ramblas back in his native Barcelona?
Nothing, it would appear. He misses his family and friends, the beach and that big shining sphere that makes such fleeting appearances in Manchester during the winter. But the young defender is more than content with life in the North-West.
“The two cities are very different and, of course, it rains a lot here!” he jokes, rolling his eyes towards the grey skies.