FCBARCELONA.CAT

21.05.2007 14:11

Messi hoping for Madrid slip

Berta Brau

This Monday Leo Messi has said “yesterday’s game has boosted the team”. Indeed, the emphatic win at Atlético has raised spirits in the Barça camp, but, as the Argentinian points out “now we can only hope.”

The Barça ace believes his side can still win the league because “after all the ups and downs the team is back on form. Yesterday’s game was important because we have shown that we are still there.”

Irregular form

Messi believes that the amazing performance at the Calderón underlines the fact that the mood among the Barça players is “as good as ever. The thing is we always try to play well but things don’t always work out the way we would like. Yesterday we played as we always do and we were lucky enough because the ball kept going in. All teams have their ups and downs, but for us, the downs came at the worst possible time.”

Patience or hope?

“Now Barça are fine and we will certainly be looking forward to the next few games” said Messi. Those games will be against Getafe, Espanyol and Nàstic. It is now a matter of winning every game and “hoping Madrid lose. Any team is capable of drawing with or beating Madrid.” The most likely opportunity for that to happen, he judges, is the second to last match, when the current leaders have to go to Zaragoza.

Four possible winners

But there are actually four clubs that can still harbour hopes of collecting this year’s title in what is proving to be a fascinating championship race. “We all deserve to be there” said Messi, for although Madrid are obviously in prime position right now, neither Sevilla nor Valencia should be forgotten, “two great teams that have been getting very consistent results, especially Sevilla, who have also won the UEFA Cup and are in the Copa del Rey final”.