15.03.2007 16:25
Sylvinho stresses positive mood
The Brazilian fullback stressed on Thursday that there’s an upbeat mood amongst the players: “I see that the players, the coaching staff and even the directors are full of hope, and that’s the key”.
This is what has got to take Barca to the league and Cup doble this season. With the door to the
Champions League now shut until next season, Belletti knows the team will have to concentrate on
the two domestic competitions: “We have a lot at stake”. It’s been a difficult
February but it could have been a lot worse: “”It’s been a very difficult month
and unfortunately we’ve been eliminated from the Champions League. We’re still alive in
two important competitions and that’s because we’ve got quality. From now on, every
game is very important”.
Sylvinho belives the players have a tough job on their hands: “The team is putting in a
lot of dedication and effort. I see that the players, the coaching staff and even the directors are
full of hope, and that’s the key”.
The line-up and the system
Sylvinho picked up a leg injury on 26th January, returning to the side against Atlético
Madrid on 25th February when he substituted Edmílson in the 81st minute. Apart from that, he has
only featured against Real Madrid, when he came on in the second half for Samuel Eto'o. Sylvinho
understands that Rijikaard has many options at his disposal when choosing his starting line-up and
is happy to be patient and await his turn: “I got injured in January and I tried to come back
as quickly as possible. I’m here to train and try and help the team. The boss has many
solutions and I’m satisfied with my work. I’m 32 and I always want to improve”.
One of the reasons for his lack of opportunities has been the change to the 3-4-3 system in
recent matches. Sylvinho emphasised that the squad has the quality to play this system and to
switch systems depending on the circumstances: “The system is down to the manager and we can
make changes during the match depending on the needs”.
The match against Recreativo
Sylvinho also warned about the dangers posed by Barca’s next league opponent,
Recreativo: “It’s a difficult match because they’re having a good season and
they’ve got players with pace”. As such, Barca are making good use of a week without
interruptions: “”We’ve had a ‘clean’ week – without matches
– and this is doing us a lot of good”.