FCBARCELONA.CAT

28.04.2010 23:58

Piqué: “The red card was counterproductive”

www.fcbarcelona.cat

After going out of the Champions League, the Barça players were sad and disappointed, but motivated to win the League for the fans.

Gerard Piqué, at the end of the match, said that Motta being sent off was not positive because “it created anxiety, and meant we wanted to score the first goal more quickly”. But he agreed that Inter had played well and could win the final.

Piqué, despite scoring a great goal that was insufficient to make it into the final had a clear message for Barça supporters: “we have to speak about the fans, we are very proud of them, whatever the result”.

These were some of the other comments made after the game:

Pedro:

“It was a shame because we had a good game and worked hard. It is a shame we won’t be in the final”

“We’re upset that we didn’t go through but happy with the way the team worked”

“Piqué’s goal came a bit late, but they were playing very tight at the back, and Bojan’s goal came after a doubtful foul”

“Now we have a difficult league match and we have to win all the games we have left. Tomorrow we will get back to work 100% because we can’t let the league slip away.”

“They went through in the end despite all the suffering. We feel angry and disappointed”

“We have to pick ourselves up because there’s still the league”

“I have no words for the fans; we have to win what’s left for them”

Touré:

“It was a very hard match. I think the referee made a mistake because I didn’t touch the ball with my hand”

“Now we’ve got the league and we have to think about Saturday’s match, because it will be very important.”

“The fans supported us all the way, it was very special. Now we have to carry on with our heads held high, we can still win the league”

“Thanks to all the fans, we have to win the league for them.”

Sergio B.:

“It is such a shame that Bojan’s goal was disallowed.”

“We are out of the Champions league, but we have won lots of titles”

“These fans deserve everything and we’ll be trying for them.”

“Motta did something wrong and I think he deserved to be sent off”

“Before and during the game, yesterday, today, at all times, the fans didn’t deserve 10 out 10, but 20, and we can only thank them.”

“The game was like that, we couldn’t do any better than 1-0, and so we’ll just have to try again next year.”

“They are a very strong team in defence, they didn’t want the ball, and even less so with 10 men.”

“It was a desperate situation and they defended as hard as they could.”

“Nobody likes to lose, but nobody in the team did anything wrong, we have to congratulate Inter, that’s all.”

“The team has given everything at all times, we deserved to go through. But that’s football and it’s always annoying to lose, when you have chances and when it was all so close.”

“I don’t care who wins the final.”

“It’ll be hard against Villarreal, I hope we don’t slip up.”

Alves:

“The team did all we could, and people should take their hats off to us because we tried everything we could.”

“I am sad, but all is not lost.”

“They were so tight at the back, perhaps our goal came a bit late, but that’s that, and we have to lift up our heads because we have another important game on Saturday.”

“The people score 10, they made us feel comfortable. They got behind us and we feel sorry for them, because we couldn’t give them the joy they deserved.”