Eto'o: "I'm still at only 80 per cent"

Barcelona player Samuel Eto'o gave an interview to French sports paper L'Equipe.

Thirteen goals in eleven league games, have you found your best shape again?
No, I'm still at only 80 per cent of my physical abilities, although the injuries are history. And I hope to have left the misery behind.

Barça can win everything this season?
It's possible but one has to be cautious. The team that won the Champions League in 2006 had something extra. The current team could do great things, but it's not about playing well at the start, you have to win something in the end.

Real Madrid doesn't seem able to worry you...
At Barça, we're not talking about our rivals. And even less about Madrid.

The club wanted to sell you this summer. You still need to pay something back?
Not at all. I was on the exit list because at a given moment there were problems in the squad. I decided to say what I thought but I should have said it in the dressingroom and not in public before the media. Later the club thought about getting rid of Ronaldinho, Deco and myself but they were going through difficult times and everything was somehow confused. I suffered two serious injuries and I shouldn't have fought against the time. I made a mistake by reappearing too early. This summer I recovered well and now I'm again enjoying the game.

Guardiola didn't give you a warm welcome...
A coach gets paid to make decisions and that's what Pep did. If he liked it or not, I was there during the pre-season and he understood that some things that had been said maybe weren't true after all.

Is it true that the coach calls the players at night to see if you're all at your place and that you get fined for getting late?
The thing about the phonecalls, that's not true. We have children and we're adult people. About the fines, I think it's important. And if you don't eat with your teammates after the training session, that's not correct either. This seems normal to me. Those details could lead us to winning games.

The situation was different with Rijkaard?
I think that Rijkaard trusted us too much. And football players who are trusted...

Milan wants to sign you...
I'm very happy at Barcelona and I would like to stay until my contract ends.

Would you like Barcelona to sign Benzema?
Yes, the best club in the world needs the best players. He's one of them.


Read more:
Eto'o first choice striker for Milan

Barcelona one of Benzema's favourite clubs

Eto'o wants to end career at Marseille and Mallorca