FCBARCELONA.CAT

11.03.2007 13:30

"The team has proved that we can fight back"

El Clásico was a strange encounter as Frank Rijkaard's side endured many blows, but overcame them all to snatch a draw with ten men and end the evening on a high after a dramatic late equaliser.

The game began with a quick goal conceded, then a penalty and then a sending off and to cap an enthralling game a last-minute equaliser. There were no ingredients missing from what was a true classic for football fans the world over. Barça could have been greatly affected by the early goals from Ruud Van Nistelrooy and the red card shown to Oleguer Presas, but the home team never let their heads drop. Below are the thoughts of some of the players after the game.

Iniesta

"The sending off affected us. Playing with ten men is always difficult because the team must give something even more. But I think that in the end a draw was a good prize after everything that we put in."
"Their first goal came very early and then the red card were big blows to us, but we have shown that we can react in situations like that. The team never gave up believing and we carried on going despite being behind on the scoreboard."
"The result has now put us back on top, but we will have to see what Sevilla do tomorrow. The league is very even and it will not be decided until the end. The squad here knows that. To win a third consecutive title would be incredible."

Thuram

"It was a very strange game. I think the referee has excessively influenced the final rsult. I think that he was too heavily involved throughout the game."
"The game has left with me not feeling good. To play at home and draw is not positive, but as the game went on and after everything that happened a point is also not too bad."
"The 3-4-3 system is not a problem for me. We played that in Parma for many years, with three defenders, and therefore I have a lot of experience playing like that."

Valdés

"Conceding a goal after six minutes messed up our plans. The sending off was not a huge turning point, but it did change the way that we had to play slightly."
"We wanted to win the game and we have had to leave a lot space at the back. Madrid used that to create a lot of danger against us. But we never gave up even though we played for a long time with ten men."
"I am happy on a personal level, but I wanted the team to win and today we could not so there is a bad taste in the mouth."

Sylvinho

"It was a typical game against Madrid. From the start it was all over the place. The red card shown to Oleguer changed us. It is difficult to play with a man less and even more so when you are behind."
"In the end, the coach changed the team well on the pitch and I think that we would not have deserved to have away with a defeat."
"I think that people really enjoyed the game. It has been a real classic with a lot of goals and good football and it must have been fun to watch."