12.05.2008 13:01
Thuram looks back over the season
Anna Segura
Lilian Thuram doesn’t think there is just one thing to blame for the way the team has performed this season. Instead he believes that a number of factors have prevented the side from getting the balance needed to win games.
The French defender spoke to the media this Monday after the League encounter with Mallorca.
Thuram, who was in the starting XI for the game, shared his thoughts on the season which is about
to finish.
Self-criticism by all
Thuram thinks that next season everyone in the club will have to ask themselves whether they
are helping or not. “When we win that’s because everyone has worked to get that
victory,” he pointed out, “and not just because there are one or two who make the
difference.”
The key lies in balance
Barça’s French defender accepts that many things have
been missing this season. “If you want to do great things, you need not only great players
but also other positives which help you do your job properly,” he said. “And if you
want to do your job properly, you need a balance that we just haven’t had, a balance to get
results.”
Defending the team
Thuram understands the reaction of the Camp Nou faithful who are not happy after ending the
season with no titles. However, he believes that people should think back a bit and remember how
much Barça players have contributed. “You have to remember these things because at the end of
the day players like Eto'o and Deco have given a lot to the fans,” he argued. “When I
was at Juventus I saw Barça win the Champions League and the Spanish League.”
Changes are normal
Thuram thinks that talk of planning for next season is normal. “Every year when the
team won people spoke about changes,” he commented, “so that’s quite
normal.” The Frenchman has the greatest respect for Rijkaard and thinks that Josep Guardiola,
although young, knows how to do things properly. “I hope people help him and make his job
easier,” he said, “and I hope that Barça wins a lot of things with him.”