A bright, chilly afternoon in west Sussex may be a peculiar time and place to discuss the struggle for independence in Catalonia, but that does not concern Bruno. The Brighton captain, a proud Catalan, is keen to talk and as he does, he leans forward and furrows his brow to illustrate the seriousness of the issue and his feelings on it.

“It’s been tough since 1 October, when we had the elections,” says Bruno, his voice more sombre than it had been when he was discussing a range of topics including meeting his friend Juan Mata after Brighton’s encounter with Manchester United on Saturday afternoon and the benefits of a gluten-free diet. “Everyone saw the news and it’s not easy when you are far away. I would like to see my family and know how they are coping. I speak with them, of course, but I get the feeling they are trying to protect me by not saying everything that is happening.”

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Bruno goes on to insist his family – specifically his mother, father, sister and brother – are “all fine” but that does not stop him worrying, and understandably so given the eruption of violence and chaos sparked in Catalonia by the independence referendum, declared illegal, held there last month.

Riot police used rubber bullets and brute force to stop residents, including the elderly, from voting while polling stations, some of them primary school buildings, were broken into by officers so they could remove ballot boxes. The sights and sounds remain vivid and there could be more trouble to come given the decision of Spain’s prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, to dissolve the regional parliament following a 92% vote in favour of independence and protests in Barcelona and elsewhere. They followed the imprisonment of separatist leaders and the issuing of an arrest warrant for the ousted regional head Carles Puigdemont after he fled to Brussels.

“In my own family we have different views of the situation but that’s how it should be – talk and find a way to get it sorted,” says Bruno,who was raised in the Catalan municipality of El Masnou and played for Espanyol before spells at Gimnàstic de Tarragona, Lleida, Almería and Valencia in Spain. “That is what I’m asking the politicians, Spanish and Catalan ones, to do: talk.

“Why cannot we live together but think differently? That is what Catalans are asking for. We have our own language, culture, music – that is the definition of a nation. But the laws in Spain say we can’t have different nations.”

What does Bruno see as the solution? “I would like a legal referendum in which all Catalan people can vote,” he replies. “What is for sure is that how both sides are behaving at the moment is not the answer.”

Sitting in the reception area of Brighton’s sprawling training base in Lancing, Bruno laughs when it is put to him that he should consider becoming a politician when he retires. “No, no, no,” he says before going on to insist such a career path does not interest him and, professionally at least, his focus remains firmly on maintaining the encouraging start Chris Hughton’s side have made to life in the Premier League. They sit ninth with 16 points after 12 matches and remain undefeated at home since losing to Manchester City on the opening day.

“We had a tough start but after that the team has been really solid and playing good football,” Bruno says. “The big thing [about being in the Premier League] is what it means to the people of Brighton. You can feel it everywhere. A few years ago, you go to the parks to watch the kids play and they had Tottenham, Chelsea, Man City shirts on but now almost 100% of them are wearingBrighton shirts. This means our future is bright.”

Brighton’s rise clearly means a lot to a man who has become a symbol of the club. He arrived on a free and as a relative unknown in July 2012 and under the management of Gus Poyet quickly established himself as a talented and hard-working right-back. The man with the bald head and WG Grace beard helped the club to three play-off semi-finals, in 2013, 2014 and 2016, before they finally achieved top-flight promotion in April.

Bruno was alongside his team-mates when they clambered into the Amex Stadium press box following the Easter Monday victory over Wigan Athletic but unlike those such as Anthony Knockaert and Beram Kayal, he did not go topless. The captain’s presence was more understated, something that could not be said of the mural that was painted in his honour before this campaign. Taking up one wall of Gelato Gusto, an ice cream parlour in the North Laine area of the city, it depicted Bruno in a crown alongside the caption “El Capitan”. As Richard Wilson, the artist responsible for the temporary artwork, said at the time: “Bruno is a hero to everyone who supports Albion. He is iconic.”

Bruno says: “A lot of people took pictures of themselves in front of it [the mural] and sent them to me. I saw it myself for the first time after I was coming back to my car after a concert. I felt embarrassed. I have given everything for Brighton and the fans appreciate that. And I am thankful – to the club, the city, the fans – for everything they have given me and my family.”

His wife and their two children are settled with him on the south coast and it is likely Brighton will be the last club he plays for. The 37-year-old’s contract expires in the summer and he could conceivably retire then, yet the man himself insists he is not necessarily reaching the end. Primarily because he feels strong and healthy due to a strict off-pitch regime. “I have been on a gluten-free diet for eight or nine years now,” he says. “I wake up, have fresh orange juice with brown cereal and almond milk. Then for lunch I have plain pasta. In the afternoon it’s green tea and coconut water and then in the evening meats and fish. Right now I have my best body-fat ever: 5.8. That is because I am doing everything right.”

Next up for Brighton’s lean, mean, defending machine sees a trip to Old Trafford, a venue where he has played for Valencia and where he will get the chance to spend time with a former team-mate from their days at Mestalla. Mata is a “top player and a top person”, according to Bruno and also the reason he did not hesitate in signing up to Common Goal, the initiative co-founded by the United midfielder which encourages players to donate 1% of their salaries to global charities. “I saw it on Juan’s Instagram account and asked him about it,” says Bruno. “He explained the idea to me and I instantly said yes. Football has given players a lot and this is our chance to give something back. That is important.”

No doubt Bruno and Mata will discuss Common Goal but for the former attention will quickly switch to Tuesday’s visit of Crystal Palace. It will be the first time the bitter rivals have met since the 2013 Championship play-off semi-final, which Palace won 2-0 on aggregate and which become infamous for the “poo-gate” incident.

Bruno missed both legs because of a groin injury but as one of the few members of the squad who has faced Palace previously, he is fully aware of the importance of the fixture. “You can feel it in the streets – everyone is asking about it and reminding you it’s the biggest game of the season,” he says. “We are big rivals and it will be massive; I will remind the boys of that. And as always, on the day I will do my best for the team.”