FCBARCELONA.CAT

21.08.2008 19:51

Touré Yaya: “We can’t fail this year”

Roger Bogunyà

Ivorian Touré Yaya knows FC Barcelona is a winning club. And the midfielder insists that they can’t fail this year.

The Barça player said that “we have to win the league for our fans”. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday he repeatedly said “a big club like Barça” cannot go a third consecutive year without a major title.

Quality and sacrifice

Touré Yaya explained how these trophies will come. “This year we have a lot of quality and have made some good signings. But it is not just quality, because we had that last year. Now we have to work and make sacrifices”.

To make his Spanish better understood, the Ivorian referred to last season’s Real Madrid who had “a good quality squad” but based their success on the group and sacrifices.

In form

Asked about his form after recovering from a hernia in his back in the late stages of last season, the Barça man said “I am one hundred per cent fit” and asked whether he might be replaced, he said “I am a professional and it is the manager who decides. I am training at 100% and at the club’s disposition”.

On another matter, the player said the manager has asked him to play “in the same position as last season” and described Josep Guardiola as “a good trainer”.