Handball coach Xavi Pascual spoke to the ‘ADN’ show on Barça TV about his team’s Champions League success. He feels that winning the league title gave them that extra piece of confidence.
Thanks for Iker Romero
Xavi Pascual also had words for Iker Romero, for whom the final was his last ever game for the
club. “He has been an extraordinary professional. He has shown that he wants to win and has
helped us at all times. I am so pleased that he can leave as a League and Champions League
winner.”
Pascual was speaking on Monday about the team’s impressive win against Ciudad Real in the
final (27-24). “Winning the Champions League, against the team we faced and the way we did
it, all adds to the value of the achievement.
“We have done some very nice things to get here, like winning against Kiel the way we
did and winning on Saturday at the Rhein-Neckar, where there were 18,000 people against us.”
Winning in Germany has always been a problem for Barcelona, but this season they have dealt with
that concern brilliantly.
Images to remember
Looking back at pictures from Cologne, Pascual said “when you have just won,
seeing that corner decked out in FCB colours, with everybody enjoying the win is amazing. We could
offer them what we couldn’t last year. You can’t buy these feelings with money”
he said.
An all-round season
Xavi Pascual does not think the season was just about good form at the end.
“It is impossible not to be playing well if you haven’t lost a game by November,
that’s not normal. People came to the Palau to enjoy themselves, and this feeling gave much
strength to the team.” ‘Pasqui’ added that rather than relax after winning the
domestic title, “the league made us hungrier.”
Motivation from last year
Pascual remembers the disappointment of losing to Kiel last year. “That inspired us to
win the Liga and the Champions League. To realise what we are capable of. It has been a very strong
team, very strong mentally. The team has grown and grown” he said.