24.10.2010 13:48

Winning is what counts for Keita

Jordi Clos

Seydou Keita spoke after training on Sunday morning and stressed the good performances and results the team are putting in, whilst explaining how keen he is to start this season’s assault on the Spanish Cup.

According to Keita: “the team’s fine. Right now, the fundamental thing is that we are winning and playing well. Scoring four or five goals a game will come, but for the moment the most important thing is how we are playing”. Questioned as to why the team seem to be more effective on the road than at the Nou Camp, Keita replied: “we’ve lost just one game at home, where we know teams come and close down. We’ve won four on the run away from home, but that’s not what matters - wherever we play we have to win”.

Tactics

Keita also believes that the switch to a three man defence which Guardiola introduced in Zaragoza is not of great importance: “the boss decides and we just get on with it, but the system doesn’t matter - what counts is that the players come out strong and full of desire”. Saturday’s win and Madrid’s victory over Racing leaves Barça a point behind Mourinho’s team, but Keita was adamant: “we are just a point behind now, but the important thing is what happens at the end of the season. They got a hatful and we won by two goals – they are both worth three points”.

Cup campaign

Barça’s next challenge is Tuesday’s Cup game in Ceuta and Keita insisted that the team were taking the game very seriously: “it’s a title and we are going out to win it. It’s an important competition and we’ll be happy to win. I don’t know much about Ceuta, but I’m sure the boss will talk about them tomorrow. It’s how we are that is the important though. We have to prepare ourselves and go there to win. There are a lot of youngsters going to be in the squad and they have the quality to play. The B team is capable of bringing a lot to us”.

Helicopters

Keita raised a few laughs in the press conference when he was asked about the team’s travel plans for the Ceuta trip: “I don’t like planes and helicopters even less, but we’ve got to do it !”.