FCBARCELONA.CAT

04.03.2010 13:09

Chico: “I was only doing my job”

Miquel Agut/Sandra Sarmiento

The Almeria defender looked back on the meeting at the Camp Nou earlier this season and the man-marking job he did on Xavi. “That was the story of just one match” he said. “I usually prefer to play the ball”.

What everybody remembers about the game against Almeria was Pedro’s screamer – a goal that secured the three points for Barça. But Xavi won’t forget that day either, not because of the win, but because of the marking job done on him by José Manuel Flores Moreno, otherwise known as ‘Chico’. The player spoke to Barça TV and www.fcbarcelona.cat abut the game in which he played such a starring role.

Hugo Sánchez’s tactics

The former Mexican boss of Almeria prepared for the game with little intention of playing pretty football against Barça. He wanted tight marking. “We all know how good Barça are at holding onto possession and that the game works through Xavi. If we could control him, then the others around him would be affected and they’d struggle to hold onto the ball. Hugo Sánchez planned the game that way and things went well”, he explained. “A lot of people have asked me about the marking job the former boss told me to do. I just did my job, and tried to do it as well as possible”.

Wrong label

Chico feels people have got the wrong impression of the kind of player he is on the basis that one match at the Camp Nou. “That was the story of just one game. Everybody knows I like to be in contact with the ball, bring it out of defence and enjoy the game.”

Admirer of Xavi

Xavi’s struggle to deal with Chico mattered for little when Pedro sealed the win, but Almeria certainly made a very good impression. “We swapped shirts at the end. I’m a big admirer of his, he’s a great player, one of the best midfielders in the world.” Chico often played alongside Xavi in his days with Barça B under Guardiola. “I had the chance play with Xavi in some first team training sessions and it was an honour. It was exciting”.