Henry (3): "We also suffer if we get a bad result"

In an interview with Catalan sports paper Sport, Barcelona forward and French international Thierry Henry (31) talked on Wednesday about the start of the season.






What did the standing ovation of the crowd on Tuesday mean to you?
It meant a lot. Although the main thing is to play a good match. Only in England they applaud you if you lose, here you have to win for the people to be happy. Like on Tuesday, when they liked the way we played adn fought and saw that we're motivated. The fans aren't stupid and they see this kind of things.

You agree that the team sometimes doesn't look very strong mentally?
If you lose, the difficulties arrive. There are attacks in the press and the fans aren't happy. But you shouldn't forget we also suffer if we get a bad result. You think we came back from Numancia with a smile? Nobody was happy. In football you have to pass a new exam every single day, always, the next game is always the only thing that counts. So what should you do? Give up and lose against Sporting Lisbon? You should be able to come back and to fight and get better. It's the same in football as in life.

But is the team mentally strong?
Yes, we have to be if you look how we're starting the games. The team doesn't give up and works to get better. Football is like that, full of little details, like the fault that lead to the goal against Racing. You're worried when you return home, but the next morning you have to get up and return to work.

Is there less talent in this squad this season?
No. In every team where I have played, no matter the league, you will always have problems if you don't play as a team. You could win one or two games but you're always gonna fall at some point if you don't play as a team. What counts is the team effort. That's the way to obtain success.

What do you do after a game?
I get home, I eat something, I'm spending time with my friends, I laugh. I never go to sleep immediately, I always need three to four hours for my adrenalin level to drop.

How do you feel living in Catalunya?
Everything is phenomenal: the city, the food, the weather. I'm getting to know the city well. People are always treating me in a nice way down the streets.

You're the captain of the French national team. You would consider to take up that position in Barcelona?
No, Puyol is there. It's not about what I want, it's something that you shouldn't ask but something that comes in a natural way. You have some extraordinary people like Puyol, Xavi and Valdés. Guys from the club, who know Barcelona inside out and can lead the team.


This was the third and last part of the interview. You can read the first two parts part here:
Henry (1): "We win or lose as a team"
Henry (2): "I'm a goalscorer... when I play in the centre"