04.06.2008 10:27
Touré: “Next season will be better”
Berta Brau
Touré Yaya is still immersed in his recovery programme, and has said “little by little I am getting over my troubles and in a couple of weeks I will be back to full fitness”.
Touré Yaya has had a massive impact on the defensive midfield aspect of FC Barcelona since he came
to the club, but a slipped disc has blighted much of his season, on which he was operated on May
13. The Ivorian told Barça TV and www.fcbarcelona.cat how things are going and what he expects from
the team next year.
- What stage of your recovery have you reached?
“Last week I worked in the gym and on the pitch. I think it’s all going well
now.”
- What is everyday life like?
“Little by little I am getting over my troubles and in a couple of weeks I will be back
to full fitness.”
- Have you started ball work?
“I’m not using the ball yet, I’m mainly in the gym because it’s
important for a player to do a lot of work in the gym before going onto the field.”
- How’s the back?
“I’m really pleased because it’s much better now and doesn’t bother
me as much. To be honest, I don’t know how I managed to play with so much pain because it was
really bad. But everything’s fine now.”
- Talking about the summer are you looking forward to well-deserved holiday?
“Yes. In three weeks time I’m off to the Ivory Coast and then I’ll be back
in Barcelona.”
- Do you think you’ll be fit for the pre-season and the season after?
“Yes, I need two more weeks of intense training and then I’ll be able to train
normally with the rest of the group.”
- At the moment Barça have bolstered the defence through the signings of Seydou Keita and
Gerard Piqué. What do you think of those two players?
“I think that physically and technically they’re
two important signings. I know Seydou Keita, he is a very physical player, he’ll help the
team. As for Gerard Piqué, I don’t know much about him but I’ve seen him in some games,
like against Roma, and I think he’s a strong player that will help the club.”
- In his first interview as a Barça player, Seydou Keita said he knew you and was looking
forward to playing alongside you and making the Barça defence unpierceable.
“I think Keita really wants to win things with Barça because he is a very good player
with a good mentality, I know all about him because we played at the African Nations Cup and
he’ll help us a lot.”
- As for next season, you’ll be playing under Pep Guardiola. Have you had the chance
to speak with him?
“I haven’t spoken to him but I think he is somebody who will be able to help the
club because last season was pretty bad and we need to sign new players to get better. But I think
he is a club man and that can help the team a lot”.
- What did you personally make of your first season at Barça?
“The people around me tell me I had a good season, but
all I know is that Barça didn’t win anything. Truth is, it’s been a hard season for me
especially because I got injured three or four times and it’s not easy, as I have never had
so many injuries. Finishing third was very poor but I am convinced that next season will be better
than the last.”