FCBARCELONA.CAT

12.04.2007 15:02

“People are very committed”

Speaking at Thursday’s press conference, Valdés defended the squad against any suggestion of unrest and insisted the players are committed and focussed on finishing the season on a high note.

The players want this league title more than anybody and despite giving ground to some of their main rivals last weekend, the squad is determined to achieve this objective. Valdés assured reporters today that rumours about player unrest were totally unfounded: “I haven’t seen any indiscipline. People are very committed. We’re trying to finish the year positively and we have the chance to win two important titles”.

He also stressed that the players are united and pulling in the same direction: “There’s no reason to be against any player. We’re a young and united group and right now people are talking too much about the dressing room. I don’t see any sense in so many comments by the press and by people that are outside the dressing room”.

Ronaldinho

This week, Ronaldinho has been unable to train due to a bout of flu. Víctor Valdés was quick to defend his team-mate against any criticism: “People shouldn’t joke about it. He’s getting over flu. He’s been in the dressing room talking to the doctors about his progress. He’s had flu and we hope he gets back as soon as possible and that he can rejoin the group. We want him to help in the matches as much as possible”.

Nevertheless, even if Ronaldinho isn’t fit in time for Sunday’s match, the squad will approach the game with the same attitude and feelings: “Worried? No! The player who replaces him will try and do as well as him. We’re relaxed. He’s an important player and let’s hope he recovers as soon as possible. He’s had the bad luck to get ill this week and that’s all there is”.

Intensity

Rijkaard spent much of Thursday training session correcting his players but Valdés played down any suggestion that this was something special and insisted this was the manager’s usual practice: “He hasn’t changed. He knows we’ve got a lot at stake. The intensity is the same. This week we’ve been practising things we don’t normally practise, such as pressing. Perhaps you (the reporters) have seen greater intensity because he had to correct things, but he’s the same as usual”.