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Football

06.01.2007 15:00

Rijkaard: "We'll have to be strong"

Dutch coach, Frank Rijkaard, has said that it is in games like the one on Sunday when "something can be demonstrated", despite knowing that "we'll have to be strong", in order to get a result.


In spite of only being able to take 14 first team players, Rijkaard has assured everyone that the team is "looking for a good result". He has said that it is games like these where the team "can demonstrate something". The coach, however, agrees "it won't be easy", as "Getafe is a difficult place to play and we'll have to be strong", if Barça want to walk away with any points.

A tough encounter

Frank Rijkaard has described Sunday's game as "interesting", he has also explained that "I like knowing beforehand that it's going to be a tough encounter”, due to the injuries and sanctions affecting the blaugrana. He agrees that Getafe are "a good team who are going to make us suffer”.

No more motivation

Asked about the whether or not the players who start on Sunday will have to have greater motivation than normal due to many players missing, Frank Rijkaard appeared blunt "A Barça player has to be fully motivated at all times". For the coach "a connexion doesn't exist" between players being absent and that of playing at the Alfonso Perez Coliseum.

"The players work together and there are no rivalries between them". Moreover, "If some players are not physically ready, they will be mentally ready", concluded Rijkaard.

On the pitch

"The fans want to see a team working well together and that every player is giving his all on pitch", said Rijkaard in response to the barrage of questions directed towards him regarding the late return of some players. He believes that "the given explanations are convincing" and that "the players have been responsible" and for the coach "the delays experienced have happened in other places", and he has explained that for him, what is more important is "they work seriously - which is happening".  

Rijkaard:
No sanctions
Frank Rijkaard emphatically spoke about the possible sanctions to be dished out to the players returning late: "If I started fining players, I would have to pay attention everyday. This has been an isolated case and the players involved are extremely responsible", he explained. However, "if a player always arrived late, he wouldn't have the right to be with the rest of the team".  

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