FCBARCELONA.CAT

06.12.2007 14:50

“The objective is to collect the next nine points”

Jordi Clos

Gianluca Zambrotta told reporters he’s confident the team can do well in the remaining three league matches before Christmas and also revealed that he’s very happy at Barça.

There are three league matches left before the end of 2007, against Deportivo, Valencia and Real Madrid, and the team will be looking to close the four-point gap that separates Barça from the top of the table. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Gianluca Zambrotta was upbeat about the team’s possibilities: “We want to start the New Year as league leaders. The objective is to collect the next nine points”. However, he warned that the next opponent, Deportivo, would not make life easy: “They’re going through a difficult time but we have to bear in mind that it’s a very important match for them as well”.

“Happy” at Barça

In recent days, the sports press has published a number of articles suggesting that Zambrotta could be on his way back to Italy. However, today he denied this was on the cards: “I’m happy at Barça. It’s always good that an Italian team is interested in you. I’ve already said that I want to finish my career there but I have a contract and I want to win important titles right here”. He also denied that he had found it difficult to settle in at the Club: “I’m in a different kind of football from Italy but that doesn’t matter. Barça is a great club and I hope to do my best for me and for the team”.

A place in the starting line-up

Gianluca Zambrotta was on the subs’ bench for the last match against Espanyol: “I don’t know why I didn’t play from the beginning. I don’t think it’s a punishment. The coach makes the decisions”. Zambrotta has recently recovered from a muscle problem and told us: “I’m not 100% fit although I’m better. I’m working to get back in the starting line-up”.