FCBARCELONA.CAT

14.03.2010 22:44

Team Hail Valdés Save

www.fcbarcelona

The players have emphasized the importance of the great save made by Victor Valdés with the scoreboard standing at 1-0.

Milito insisted that the save was just as important as Messi’s hat trick: “Valdés was fantastic. People will take about Messi’s goals but his save has just as much merit as the goals”. Andrés Iniesta also praised the Barça goalkeeper’s “providential” performance and highlighted his ability in one-to-one situations while Piqué told reporters, “He saved us with a great stop”. Finally, Messi also added his praise for Valdés: “He saved our lives”.

Here are some of the players’ post-match comments:

Pedro:

“We didn’t play all that well in the first half. We created a lot more chances in the second half”.

“At half time, Guardiola told us to press higher up the pitch, to increase possession and make long passes. We had more chances, things came off and the victory is very good”.

“Leo had a great game and scored three magnificent goals”.

“Our positions today are another resource to bear in mind but we have our own style”.

“Henry was excellent and gave us depth”.

“The fans were really good and should be thanked. Above all, in the first half I lost a lot of balls and I wasn’t playing very well but in the end the team scored”.

Milito:

“I’m feeling better every day. Today I was also OK despite it being a difficult match”.

“We found it really hard to turn the game around but in the second half we improved thanks to teamwork”.

“We had to work harder in the second half because the match was finely balanced and difficult”.

“At halftime, Pep made some tactical corrections that turned out well”.

“In tight matches, Messi appears and does what only he knows how to do”.

“I’m comfortable on the pitch and happy in football terms. That has a big effect on playing in this team – it makes it easier”.

“These are three important points that keep us in the fight with Real Madrid”.


“I’m enjoying and making good use of the matches I’m playing. When it’s your turn you have to be at the level of the team”.

Iniesta:

“We took our chances well”.

“The referee is in charge and if he doesn’t want to add on any more time on then we can’t do anything”.

“We should be happy with the win and with being up at the top”.

“It’s important to score goals because you never know what might happen about goal difference. But everything’s important because we don’t know how the league will end”.

“Let’s hope we can keep on speaking so well of Messi. He’s scoring goals and can turn matches in our favour”.

“Messi doesn’t seem to have a limit so let’s hope he gets even better. He’s more concerned with winning collective titles because he knows that individual titles come by themselves”.

“Against Stuttgart on Wednesday we have to go for the match from the very first minute. We’re in a Club that demands everything and that’s all we’re thinking of”.

“We have to take full advantage of these two months - they are the most demanding but also the nicest”.

Messi:

“I’m very happy about the victory, about the team’s performance in the second half and about the 3 goals”.

“I dedicated a goal to my cousin’s son of, who was born recently. Also they told me he scored at the same time and the dedication goes to him as well”.

“The three goals are important and very nice but I choose the first one that opened the scoring”.

“I plan to carry on the same way for the team’s sake and not because of individual honours”.

“It was a good game for the whole team, above all in the second half when we put pressure on them and had the ball. In the first half we lost he ball straight away”.

“Henry took the pressure off the team with his enthusiasm and pressure. He affected everyone. He also made two assists”.

Piqué:

“In the first half we struggled to get into the game. They had more chances and dominated the game. In the second half it was completely different and after the goal we dominated the match”.

“The team wasn’t OK, we were badly positioned and we lost our shape too easily. In the second half we pressed up the pitch and every time we stole back the ball it was a chance to score”.

“Pep told us to play the same way as always and be ourselves”.

“It’s always good when Henry participates and becomes himself. He had a good game”.