FCBARCELONA.CAT

14.01.2010 23:30

Team performance was key

Sònia de Alba

Regal Barça's coach and players could not hide their delight after making it ten wins from ten games in the Euroleague regular season with everyone highlighting the unity of the side.

With personal and club records broken during the incredible run to the Top 16, the Blaugrana were evidently pleased to have completed the first stage with a 100 per cent record. All the records were of secondary concern after the win on Thursday though as the focus was on how well Barça played against Montepaschi.

Below is what the coach and some of the players had to say.

Xavi Pascual

"We are happy with the overall performance in the game against a very good team, who are one of the best in Europe."

"The team maintained a good rhythm throughout and a strong defence. Towards the end of the first quarter we committed some errors that meant that we did not finish ten points ahead. In the first three minutes of the second quarter we allowed Montepaschi to score 12 points on the counter. Possibly eight of those 12 were presented by us. We could well have gone into the half-time break much further ahead. In the second half though we had more control and we knew what we wanted to do."

"Now we will have to find a new mentality because everyone will use more aggression to try and stop us and we will have to be intelligent and not try and go out and do everything when we do not need to. We need to stay calm and do what we need to in order to win."

"Ricky has played an almost complete game in every area."

"I was pleased with the performance of all the players. Obviously the fans see things differently to

"The team is more than any individual. Everyone knows that and the players feel it. Today one player can stand out and then in the next game another person will shine. Everyone should use their ability for the good of the team."

Ricky Rubio

"It has been a positive win. We should not look at personal statistics, but those of the team. We played well against a strong team and even though we had already qualified we wanted to finish with a victory."

"We play as a team, thinking about all our team-mates and how we can improve. The statistics are improving and the wins too."

Fran Vázquez

"The win was important against a good team. We have managed to remain unbeaten, but now we have to continue to work."

"Any team in the Top 16 will be difficult and we know that we will have to remain focussed."

Terence Morris

"We tried to play our own game and we played well. We have done well and done a great job over the past few months, but now we have to keep that going."

"The first half was even, but in the second period we took over. We controlled the pace and we defended well."