FCBARCELONA.CAT

31.03.2008 20:31

Márquez: “They’re most dangerous in the air”

Anna Segura

Rafa Márquez, one of the new faces in the Barça squad for the match against Schalke 04, thinks that one of the strengths of the German side is their aerial game. The Mexican reckons that Schalke won’t make things easy for Barcelona.

Defender Rafa Márquez is back for the first leg of Barça’s Champions League quarter final against Schalke 04. The Mexican has been sidelined with injury and makes his return just when the team needs him most. Márquez spoke this Monday evening at a press conference.

“It won’t be an easy game”

The Mexican knows that tomorrow’s game “won’t be easy” because Barça will be facing a side which Márquez describes as “ordered, physically strong and which has been playing well. They have some really strong strikers.”

But the key thing Rafa Márquez picked out was Schalke 04’s aerial game: “They’re most dangerous in the air. They play really well together as a team and one of their strikers is a German international.”

Getting confidence back

In the run-in to the end of the season Rafa Márquez thinks the side “has to make a maximum effort” as they are still in with a shout in two competitions, the Spanish League and the Champions League. Plus after Saturday’s painful defeat away at Betis the Barça defender thinks that the side has to “get back our confidence which in other seasons has brought us such good results.”

Still in pain but can play

The player was given the green light by club doctors this Sunday after being sidelined with injury for more than a month. Márquez says that he is feeling better although there is still some pain. “I’ve got a bone oedema which takes some time to go away but I can put up with it,” he said before adding that “I’m ready to do whatever the boss tells me to.”

Márquez also expressed his complete confidence in Barça coach Frank Rijkaard: “He’s been very successful and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t stay on and continue in the same way.”