FCBARCELONA.CAT

08.03.2010 14:00

Milito staying calm

Roger Bogunyà

Speaking to reporters after training on Monday, Gaby Milito insisted that the players were not worried about conceding top spot in the Spanish League: “We have great faith in our possibilities and we mustn’t lose our heads”.

Speaking in calm and measured tones, Gaby Milito emphasized again and again that the draw against Almeria is not the end of the world: “We have a very good team. We have to stay calm and confident. I think people aren’t worried because they know the potential the team has”.

Winning the priority

However, Milito knows that the League title could slip out of Barça’s hands if the team doesn’t start to string together a few victories: “We have to try and get the three points. We’re the first ones who want to win”. However, he insisted that losing first place at this stage of the season is not important: “It’s not something we’re worried about at the moment – there are a lot of points ahead of us. We’re not worried”.

In addition, Milito pointed out that Real Madrid and Barça are equal on points and separated only by goal difference. If the two teams remain tied then the match between them in the Bernabeu will be vital.

“A hotly contested league”

In fact, Milito believes the contest for the league title will go right down to the wire: “It’ll be a hotly contested league right to the end. We never said otherwise”.

The more the merrier

From next week, the team will go back to playing twice a week. After Valencia this weekend, Barça face Stuttgart in the week followed by Zaragoza in the league the following weekend. Last season, the players thrived on a packed fixture schedule and eventually did the treble of League, Cup and CL. So as far as Milito is concerned, the more matches the better: “I believe it’s good for us because the team is used to playing every three days. We feel it’s better for us”.