FCBARCELONA.CAT

01.05.2008 13:52

Eto’o: “I believe in this team”

Vanessa Forns

In reference to the way Barça played against Manchester United, Eto'o says he fully believes in the team and feels they will be able to achieve great things in the future.

The FC Barcelona player is well aware that in the two games played in the Champions League semi finals against Manchester United the side showed what they are capable of. “The Barça that played against Manchester is the one we all dream of and want to see. Faithful to their style of playing. I enjoyed it personally and we only went out by one goal”. FC Barcelona’s Cameroonian international said he left the field at Old Trafford in tears because they had missed the final, but at the same time he felt the team “played like Barça should play. If we carry on like that we can do big things.”

End of an era?

Asked he felt this was now the end of an era, Eto’o said he was not the right man to ask, and for answers to such questions we need to go to “Begiristain, Rijkaard and Laporta”. Nevertheless, despite not having won anything this season, Eto'o is convinced that “this group can win things again. Neither were we so good before nor so poor now”.

Best possible end to the season

Eto'o feels he forms part of a club that was “made to win, so you can’t feel happy when we haven't won any titles”. But he was delighted with the way they approached the game against Sir Alex Ferguson’s side. “In the four years I have been here, we have won five titles. We wanted more, but we can’t fight for titles any more, because this season we have no hope of winning anything. What we have to do is finish the season off if the best possible way and start preparing for next year”.

Doing all he can

The Cameroonian also admitted that the two major injuries he has suffered recently have meant he has been able to deliver his best. “I have been playing this season since December. Including the African Nations Cup I have played 26 games and scored 21 goals. But I have to admit that I am not physically right. Can I do more? Surely I could, and I have tried. I am going the right way about things and will keep working. Now I’m giving it all that I have and I know I can offer more”.

Eto'o then said what he wanted to do now was “get back what makes me feel like myself. I knew it would be difficult after the injuries, but I am working on it. All I have in my head are thoughts of working to give the best of me to this great club.” It is not just the goals he can score, but the work he can do for the team, and there is nothing he wants more than “to recover and give it all to my colleagues”.

Barça above anything else

The sports press has been full of speculations this week about the possible restructuring of the club. Eto'o did not want to discuss such a delicate issue, but did say that whatever he has to offer on a personal level, will “always be for the benefit of FC Barcelona. Barça is bigger than any one player or person. Whatever I do will be fore the good of the club.” He then went on to say that “all of the players try to give the best of themselves, mainly because of the colleagues they have beside them. The thing is that in football you can’t always get everything right”.

As for the upcoming match with Valencia, Eto'o will be going out there to do his job “in the best possible way” because the future is now about “keeping our heads up.” As for his more long-term future, he said “I still have a contract here and I think we can enjoy ourselves with a team like this”.