FCBARCELONA.CAT

16.03.2010 18:14

“We have to be true to ourselves”

Vanessa Forns

Sergio Busquets is clear as to what approach Barca should take against Stuttgart if they are to win their way through to the quarter finals: “we have to be true to ourselves and play our way”.

It’s all or nothing in the game on Wednesday and speaking to the press on Tuesday evening, Sergi Busquets reckoned:”we have to go out with intention of winning. We are at home, backed by fans who we hope will back us for the full 90 minutes because that’s very important to us. But the most important thing is that we are true to ourselves and play our way, that’s to say we need to do all the things that helped us win last year – keeping possession, playing close together and most importantly, creating chances”.

Squad “up for the game”

Busquets assured the media that the squad is: “really fine and up for the game” and whilst admitting that playing in the final at the Bernabeu would be “a dream”, he warned “the Stuttgart game is going to be tough”.

Stuttgart “will wait for us to make a mistake”

The Catalan midfielder also believes that on Wednesday the team will face ”a Stuttgart team similar to the first leg –waiting in midfield for us to make a mistake then hitting us on the break. The first leg must serve as a warning to us”. Busquets also stressed “they are a physically very strong team”

No easy rivals

Busquets refused to be drawn on Madrid’s elimination, stressing: “there are no easy teams at this stage of the competition, but we shouldn’t focus on Madrid, we just need to concentrate on our own game”.

Second half against Valencia is the reference point

Barca were certainly boosted by the win over Valencia on Sunday and Busquets believes that their ability to dominate possession was vital in the second half: “having the ball is what we are all about. That win has put us into a positive dynamic. We’ll be looking to reproduce that second half performance when we come out on Wednesday night”.