FCBARCELONA.CAT

22.01.2008 15:01

“We have to keep the return leg in mind”

Roger Bogunyà

Leo Messi believes that the side should approach the game at El Madrigal by bearing in mind the return leg at the Camp Nou. But that is not to say that they will not be looking for a win on Thursday.

FC Barcelona cannot afford to make the same kind of mistakes against Villarreal as they did when they met in the league. “We know it will be a difficult game. We already found that out in the league, when they beat us easily” said Messi.

The Argentinian claims to be feeling fine in a fitness sense and that in the cup match "we have to remember that it is a two-legged affair and that all will be decided with us having home advantage. We have to keep the return leg in mind when we play”.

The need to win

In the league, Madrid are still seven points clear but Messi feels that for Barça "the important thing is to keep winning. We have to concentrate on doing our job, and they (Madrid) will end up losing some games." The striker believes it is highly unlikely that Madrid will win all 18 games they have left, so it is just a matter of having a bit of patience.

But Messi was forced to admit that Madrid “are doing well and getting through difficult games without many problems”.

In defence of Ronaldinho

Asked about Ronaldinho’s condition, Messi said “he is working very hard, doing double sessions almost every day. He is very keen and for us, the sooner he comes back the better.” He also heartily agrees with what Laporta recently said, in that Ronaldinho is suffering unfair criticism from some parts of the press.

Boos and whistling

Giovani was jeered by some of the crowd in the game against Racing, and Messi said such whistles “are not good either for him or for the group.” He does not think that it has had too much of an effect on his Mexican colleague, who he is convinced “will keep playing as well as he has up to now”.