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11:32 AM – Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Dani Alves: We do not know how to speculate

The Brazilian has analyzed the upcoming match against PSG and believes the team “is in an ideal moment and with maximum strength”

2:56 PM – Monday, April 20, 2015

Luis Enrique: Our intention is to win tomorrow

FC Barcelona's coach spoke to the press ahead of the return leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against PSG

12:45 PM – Monday, April 20, 2015

Luis Suárez: The tie is not over

The Uruguayan striker spoke about the upcoming PSG game and his adaptation at FC Barcelona during this season.

10:45 AM – Monday, April 20, 2015

Iniesta gets the medical clearance

Andrés Iniesta has recovered from the contusion to the sacroiliac joint he had suffered last week in Paris.

8:00 AM – Monday, April 20, 2015

Adriano: We have the best attack in the world

Barcelona utility man Adriano Correia has hailed the attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar da Silva and Luis Suárez, saying they form the best front-three lineup in the world.

Credit: @gallardophoto

Luis Enrique: We need the fans

Barça's coach has asked for the fans to make the Camp Nou tremble

The most important statements from Luis Enrique's press conference ahead of the Valencia game were the following:

  • “This game against Valencia is one of the seven key games we have until the end of La Liga. Our opponent is in great shape and has had a great season. It's one of the best teams in La Liga, a team that works well, very hard to beat. They're very dangerous in attack when they have the ball in their half. It will be a very hard game, but an attractive one.”
  • “For me, the PSG game doesn’t exist right at this moment. The only thing that exists is the Valencia game. We have no room for error and our intention is not to speculate about the result. I’ll evaluate the state of the players and field the XI that gives us the most guarantee to win this game. On Tuesday, you will see whether the result we gained from the first leg serves us, although it’s not definitive. The complications which Valencia will give us tomorrow – just like they did when we met at their stadium, means that I have to ask our fans for extra support. I have never had to do this before, but due to the importance of the game and the fact that we played just a short while ago in Paris, I want the stadium to be full and the fans to cheer us on, because there will be moments during the game when we will perhaps not be as lucid as we should be and we'll need their help. We are much stronger when we have our fans behind us; we hope they make their presence felt and they spur us on to take all three points.”
  • “The physical side worries me more. Mentally we will be fired up, Valencia requires that. The players know that if we don’t give 100 percent, it could get complicated. That’s why, more than ever, we need to be a team and as one with the fans. The players are playing at a very high level and I am hoping that we can overcome this test.”
  • “If there is a sense of euphoria, it’s because the fans have seen what this team can do. I hope the Camp Nou trembles with passion tomorrow and whenever the team is lacking clarity, I hope they help us. Now more than ever, it’s important that they get behind us.”
  • “Iniesta is a lot better, but he hasn’t been able to train. Unless there is a miracle, he won’t be on the list.”
  • "The draw against Sevilla hasn't changed my feelings regarding the team. You can't change that due to three events during a game or due to 10 minutes of play. That would be a bad sign. I've had good feelings about this team since my first day here. We are where we wanted to be and those feelings haven't changed.”
  • “I never speak of the time a game starts. I never look for excuses. Physically, we have had fewer hours to recover and that does have an impact. But we have to respond to that. There is nothing I can do to change the kickoff times, we have to approach it in the best way we can.”
  • “Yes, Valencia is playing only one game per week, but every team wants to be playing a match every three days. Now we are going into the stage where we have less time to recover, but that’s the case for other teams as well. It’s difficult. We landed at 5 a.m. on Thursday morning. I’m knackered and I don’t even play… But I am also 20 years older than the players. But it’s stimulating at the same time. The titles are within our reach, just like they are for our rivals. That’s why from the moment the players begin the prematch warmup we need 100,000 culés singing their hearts out. This is a key day for us.”
  • “We have a large squad, we have done many rotations and this will be key at the end of the season.”
  • “Criticism is what people are interested in, but I see Pep as being number 1. I say that because of my perception of him, regardless of the titles he wins or fails to win. He is number 1 because of how I know him, because of what he represents in football and for the idea of offensive football he has that he is able to transmit to any squad in any league.”
Tagged as: valencia, luisenrique
Source: sport.es, as.com