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12.12.2007 23:58
Giovani scores first senior goal
Vanessa Forns
Giovani Dos Santos scored his first competitive senior goal on Wednesday evening. Despite this personal success, a delighted Giovani told reporters that the main thing was “the attitude shown by the team”.
Giovani Dos Santos made his goal scoring debut with the equaliser against Stuttgart in the 35th minute. The young forward was happy to get his first senior goal and even more so because it came in front of the home fans. However, speaking to reporters after the match he preferred to stress the team effort: “The team played very well and our attitude improved. This is very important ahead of the two matches against Valencia and Real Madrid.”
”The next objective is to get the three points next week in the Mestalla. This would be extra motivation ahead of the match against Real Madrid in the Camp Nou”. Finally, Giovani declined to choose a favoured opponent in the last 16 of the CL, telling reporters: “Whoever it is, it’ll be complicated”.
Here are some of the post match comments from the rest of the team:
Márquez
“Before the match we talked about making ourselves respected”.
“It’s important for Eto'o to ease himself back gradually”.
“I felt good, with a lot of confidence and tried to help the team”.
“The Valencia match is very important. We have everything at stake before “el clásico” against Real Madrid”.
Jorquera
“I felt good. Pretty comfortable”.
“The team had a good match. It was an attractive game”.
“I’m very happy to have made my debut in this year’s Champions League”.
Xavi
“I wasn’t able to warm up at all. I tried my best to adapt. Deco noticed some discomfort and it was my turn to go on”.
“The whole team started off cold but then improved and at times we played some good football”.
“We enjoyed ourselves playing football today”.
“The important thing is to create chances though it’s true that we have to take a higher percentage of them”.
“It’s very positive to finish top of the group so we can play the second leg of the last 16 tie at home”.
Eto'o
“I’m very happy, more for the way we played than
for the goal”.
“I hope everything continues like this”.
“I’ll only recover my form and fitness by working very hard”.
“We mustn’t get obsessed by the opponent in the last 16”.
“Now we have to think about Saturday’s match against Valencia. Our only objective is to come back with the three points”.
Bojan
“I wasn’t able to score but that’s only incidental. For me, the main thing is to accumulate playing time and gain confidence”.
“The most important thing is the team”.
“I go out on the pitch to try and play well and enjoy myself”.
“In the last 16, any team will be complicated”.
Ronaldinho
“It’s a shame Bojan didn’t score.
We’re hoping he can manage it and you have to remember that there’s a long way to go in
the Champions League”.
“I feel fine but I still have to improve a lot. Physically, I feel better but I have to keep on working”.
“I’m relaxed. What I have to do is work hard on the pitch”.
Marc Crosas
“I know what my role is in this team and if they need me I’m right here. I’m still a Barça B player”.
“Being in the first team is a privilege. If I don’t get any more minutes there’ll be another chance”.
“Making my Champions League debut at home was really nice”.
“I try to do my job as well as possible. Pep Guardiola has always been my model and now I’m lucky enough to have him as my coach”.
Gudjohnsen
“It was a very professional match. We played well, with a lot of movement”.
“It’s important to come back from a goal down. We played with a lot of patience”.
“Now we have to focus on the league. We’ve got two very important matches coming up”.
“I want Liverpool in the last 16. I want revenge for what happened last year”.
Laporta: “Eto’o’s goal was very significant”
Joan Laporta was very happy with the team’s performance in a match that had little
significance for either side: “Both teams took it very seriously”. He was especially
pleased about the goal scored by Samuel Eto'o, his first since coming back from his three and a
half month injury layoff: “I was particularly happy about Eto’o’s goal. It was
important for him – and the team - to score. They all needed it. It was a very significant
goal. We’ve got back a goal scorer, a person with character who needs goals to live”.
Laporta is not worried about possible opponents in the next round: “Every team will be complicated. The main thing is to take advantage of the fact that the return leg is in the Camp Nou and kill off the tie. In the Champions League you have to be prepared for anything, be in good form and have a little bit of luck”.
Joan Laporta also praised Bojan and insisted that his rise to the first team was, “a reward for his perseverance, work and quality”. Finally, he spoke about next weekend’s match away to Valencia: “It’s a match that, if we win, will give us the opportunity of staying at the top end of the table”.
Laporta is not worried about possible opponents in the next round: “Every team will be complicated. The main thing is to take advantage of the fact that the return leg is in the Camp Nou and kill off the tie. In the Champions League you have to be prepared for anything, be in good form and have a little bit of luck”.
Joan Laporta also praised Bojan and insisted that his rise to the first team was, “a reward for his perseverance, work and quality”. Finally, he spoke about next weekend’s match away to Valencia: “It’s a match that, if we win, will give us the opportunity of staying at the top end of the table”.
