FCBARCELONA.CAT

29.12.2008 20:30

Puyol: “I think we can get better”

Marc Guillén

Barça ended the year in spectacular form but Carles Puyol thinks there could be even better to come. “I think we need to improve and that’s what we’ll be trying to do” he said.

The Barça captain is obviously enthused with the way the year has ended, but also knows that being ‘winter champions’ counts for nothing. For Barça “what matters is topping the table at the end of the season. If we carry on the way we are going, we’ll be celebrating titles at the end of the season” said Carles Puyol.

Positive mood

Barça have returned to training but there will no sign of Alves, Messi, Cáceres, Milito, Keita or Eto'o until January 2, the day before the side faces Mallorca. The players fully accept these differing schedules. “We discussed it and we think it’s right because over the year they have less opportunity to be with their families as they have to travel so far. There has been no problem, everybody understood” reasoned the Barça captain.

As for rumours circulating that Messi did not turn up for training the day after the Valencia Match, Puyol made it clear that “these are internal squad matters. I can assure you that there is a good mood among the squad and he did come to train that day”.

“We always miss Iniesta”

The team is thrilled to learn that Andrés Iniesta has been given medical clearance. Carles Puyol explained that “he is a very versatile player, he always wants the ball, he makes a lot of breaks and is always ready for a challenge. We always miss Andrés Iniesta”.