Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman and Francisco Trincão held a press conference in preview to Wednesday’s Champions League match against Ferencváros.
Koeman spoke first.
About Messi
“Leo is always Leo. He is very important in our attack. When he gets the ball, he may have struggled a bit at the beginning of the season, he may not score 30 goals a season, but he is working well and is very important in our attack.”
About a possible Memphis Depay Transfer
“It’s not fair to the players who are getting the most out of it. For me it’s disrespectful and these are decisions we have to make in January”
About Messi´s rest
“He always likes to play and it’s good that he has this mentality, but I talked to him and asked him, but the final decision is up to the coach. I wanted to give him a rest in Kiev and tomorrow, for the rest of the season, he may not rest anymore because we play every three days”.
About Ferencváros
“I expect a complicated game, they have a lot of players with quality in the current squad. We have the experience of the first game. You have to control their offensive play and hurt them with the spaces they leave. The last game against Juve they played well, with five defenders, and until the last minute they were tied”.
About Todibo´s posible return
“I don´t know, that´s something that we have to discuss on January. We haven´t spoken about that yet”.
About the central defenders
“For me it is more bad luck than anything else. The economic situation has influenced this and we have to use what we have. We have to give opportunities to young people like Araujo or Mingueza. When there is no money, we have to give opportunities to the young people.”
About Braithwaite
“We have tried to see what is the best attack to put, with the position of Griezmann and Leo. Martin has deserved to play with his work. There are games in LaLiga that we need a ‘9’ more than in other games. He is playing very well and it´s important to have competition in the position.”
About Messi´s dedication to Maradona last match
“We already know that there are rules. Everyone knows why he did it, it’s a dedication to Maradona. The final decision is not mine, but if it were mine I would take out the yellow card”.
About Piqué
“I talk to him, every morning he is in the Ciutat Esportiva and working. I have not influenced the final decision not to have surgery, there are the doctors to decide. We think it’s the best way to get him back. I hope we can count on him this season, but I don’t set dates.”
Then was Trincao who followed with the press conference.
About his time on the field
“I want to play always, i have to do my job and then Koeman is who decides. I hope to be the same player that I was in Sporting Braga.”
About the surprises he discovered since he arrived at the Club
“The quality of the players. We have a great team and I have to enjoy this.”
About Cristiano or Messi
“It´s impossible to say. They are the best two players in the world but they are very different. You can´t choose one.”
About a possible way out
“I am very happy to be in the best club in the world, it´s a dream for me. I just think in Barcelona and I´m sure that i will stay here.”
