FCBARCELONA.CAT

24.07.2008 10:52

Abidal keen to give something to the fans

Marc Guillén

French international defender Éric Abidal has looked back at Barça’s first few days in Scotland, and has commented on the past and present under Josep Guardiola.

The former Olympique Lyon was speaking to Barça TV and www.fcbarcelona.cat and said “we are different people this year … we’ll have to work hard and well these days so that we are tactically and physically a better team than last season”.

New methods

Abidal has noted a change in the training this year. “It is all different” he said. “It is much more physical than last year, but this year I don’t think physical aspects are going to be as fundamental as they were before. This year, from what I have seen so far, position plays, solidarity on the field of play, these are things we need to be more aware of, and we have to play together as a team more, we need to have a better understanding”.

Josep Guardiola

Abidal said that his new coach “wants everything and wants it well done. The boss works and speaks in a very specific way, and he wants us to operate in the same way”.

Fitness

The Frenchman also commented that “last year I had six very good months, but the I didn’t play as well as I had started. Personally, I need to work on fitness, my body is calling for that”.

Abidal also confessed that “last season I found it really hard to adapt to the league, to the way the club and Spanish competition work. Now I know what it is all about and that’s good for me”.

Good vibes

The Barça player has felt a good atmosphere at Saint Andrews, although “last year it was the same, I haven’t seen, broadly speaking, any changes in that respect. There is a good atmosphere and working in a good atmosphere is essential to achieve the objectives we have set ourselves”.

Message to the fans

Abidal knows it has been two seasons since the Barça fans had anything to celebrate. “Yes, this year we have to give the members two or three titles to celebrate” he promised.