FCBARCELONA.CAT

30.09.2008 11:58

Txiki looking to top group

www.fcbarcelona.cat

FC Barcelona’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, speaking at El Prat Airport before setting off for Donetsk, has said that the priority in the Champions League is to come top of the group.

Recent results have boosted Barça’s confidence no end. As Txiki said “all four wins were important. Team spirits are good, and tomorrow we have to carry on in the same direction.” Barça having got off to a winning start in the Champions League against Sporting Lisbon, he made it clear that: “we have to get a positive result, there’s no doubt about that. The aim is to finish top of the group and so tomorrow’s game is important.”

Players’ opinions

Txiki inevitably also had some words about Saturday’s incidents at Montjuïc, and a possible denunciation of the Barça players by Espanyol. “I think that after hearing what our captain Carles Puyol said yesterday, the logical thing would for this to lead to nothing. The players’ opinion, reflected in what Puyol said, is clear and he was more than convinced that Espanyol will not be making any kind of protest against our players.”

A great game

“All the incidents in the match, the firework throwing, the pitch invasion, and the bottle thrown at Juan Carlos Unzué have overshadowed what I think was a great game from us” he said, before revealing on optimistic outlook on what remains of the season. “The players are doing well, and doing that playing attractive football. The offensive statistics are unbeatable, but we have to remember that considering the many chances we have had, we haven’t scored that many goals, while our opponents are getting very few chances, but converting a much higher percentage. When you start balancing out these figures and our actual results, you see there is still a lot to be improved.”