08.05.2008 14:21
Touré: "It’s been a difficult season”
David Puig
Touré told reporters on Thursday that it had been a difficult season and that the players were as gutted as anybody by the defeat in the Santiago Bernabeu. However, despite the disappointment, he called on the fans to view the future with optimism.
“It’s been a difficult season that I would define as mediocre”. This was Touré
Yayá’s summing up of the season about to finish. The defeat against Real Madrid means that
Barça cannot now finish in second place and will have to earn a place in the group stage of the
Champions League via the qualifying phase.
Touré insisted that the players are disappointed with the way things have gone this season:
“The fans should know that we are as disappointed as anybody. I admit that we have failed too
often but we have had too many injuries to key players. I don’t believe it’s been a
problem of attitude. We’ve often spoken about it amongst ourselves before matches and,
despite everything, we’ve failed. Attitude alone doesn’t win you matches”.
Real Madrid much better
Touré
explained that a lot had gone through his mind during the Real Madrid game, none of it good:
“I felt all kinds of sensations: humiliation and foolishness among them. They played really
well and were better than us. It was also a difficult match for Rijkaard. I’ve rarely seen
him so upset during a match”.
Looking to the future
Though it’s a difficult time for the team, Touré called on the fans to think positively
about next season: “It’s been a very difficult season but we have to look to the future
with optimism. We have to find solutions, talk amongst ourselves and avoid repeating the same
mistakes”.