10.10.2007 14:23
Valdés: "We are improving and progressing"
Vanessa Forns
Víctor Valdés feels that FC Barcelona are growing stronger as the season progresses, but admitted that there was still room for even more improvement.
The Blaugrana goalkeeper was speaking after training with the B team on Wednesday and he reflected
on how the team has raised its rhythm in the past few games. "I have a very good feeling," he said.
"We are improving and progressing, but there is still much to improve upon."
Pressing concerns
Frank Rijkaard's side have recorded six consecutive victories in all competitions and
silenced the criticism that being aim at them in the early part of the new campaign and Valdés is
pleased. "We have improved on many aspects, but others are still lacking. The whole team is
pressing very well and that benefits the defence and the goalkeeper a great deal."
Ciutat Esportiva
The four Barça first team players that remain, as the rest
jet off on international duty, trained at the Ciutat Esportiva for the first time and Valdés was
impressed. "These facilities are great and they are beautiful too," he enthused. "This Wednesday
has been a very good day to work." Reflecting on the chance of switching permanently, the Catalan
custodian said: "The changing rooms at Camp Nou have been renovated recently and they made it
better for every day use. Perhaps the fact that is has such good facilities for recovery has
levelled things out."
The internationals
Valdés was then asked about whether clubs should be compensated for allowing players to play
for their country, but he played it cool. "It is the people that send for them that deal with
that," he explained before talking about the effects of these breaks for international games. "The
players need time to recover," he said. “The situation has always been such and the majority
of the players look forward to internationals", he added.
FIFA World Player of the Year
With seven Barça players named on the shortlist for the FIFA World Player of the Year, Valdés
is hopeful that one of them can win the award. "There are some players of great quality at Barça,
who are famous all over the world," he explained. "It is a difficult trophy to win, but I hope one
my team-mates can do it."
Step-by-step
Real Madrid president, Ramón Calderón, outlandishly stated that Barça would endure four
difficult years, but Valdés was not interested in his opinion. "To look four years ahead is
difficult," he explained. "You have to go step-by-step because everything changes in football from
one day to the next. Madrid are top and that is because they have had the results needed to achieve
that."