Barcelona player Lionel Messi gave an interview to Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo.
You have now played four games without scoring a goal. You get obsessed by that?
Not at all, because I've already had much longer series of games without scoring. Thanks to the team, I have been scoring more this season, but it never has been an obsession for me.
You're indeed scoring like never before this season. You have scored 25 goals so far, where can you get?
I don't know. But it's all thanks to the game of the team. The forwards have a lot of chances to score. Samuel, Titi, Bojan or whoever plays up front can score easily and you have to take advantage of that.
You're not in favour of special protection by the referee, but what can then be done to protect players like you, which are the ones who fill the stadiums?
I don't know. I think football has become very tactical, very robotical and that makes it a little uglier. But that's modern football and you have to adapt to it. That's why I think we're a different team, that tries to play, that tries to play beautiful, that's our game, we're having a good time and that's what we need to do.
Talking about players who offer something to the fans, you got already used to playing without your friend Ronaldinho?
You have to. We knew he wouldn't be here anymore and that we needed to adapt. Of course it's always better to have the best players by your side. Ronnie, as well as Deco and Motta, are great players and it's always nice to have those close.
You seemed to have a kind of complicity with him on the pitch. You have the same thing with Eto'o and Henry?
One always connect more witht he players that are close and I have a good understanding with both Samuel and Titi.
Tonight you return to a stadium were you were applauded last month. Will it be special?
It's always special to play there because it's a nice stadium and there's a great crowd, but it will be a very complicated game that won't have anything to do with the cup game.
Which Atlético do you expect after their irregular performances so far this season?
Maybe they're not going through their best moment, but I'm convinced it will be a difficult game because all teams are motivated when they play against Barça.
How do you deal with the rotations?
The truth is that I would like to play every game but that's not always possible and sometimes you need some rest.
How is your body responding to the stretching and the new diet this season?
Well, I always took care of myself and we always did the same in the dressingroom, both here as with the national team. Maybe the only thing that has changed is the food. Now we eat at the club and they can control us a little more.
You're missing the roasted meat?
No, because we also have to eat during the days we are free (laughs).
You're especially motivated to win a certain trophy?
No, I'm motivated for all. If it's possible, I would like to win them all. We'll fight for it until the end and I think we could win them, but everything with modesty.
Last question. Víctor Valdés has been debated this week because of his mistakes against Espanyol and Lyon. What do you think about it?
Víctor has always been criticized at certain moments but I think that he's a goalkeeper who has given a lot to Barcelona. People always focus on the bad things of a goalkeeper but they don't value enough the games he won for us, not only this year but also when we have won leagues and the champions League. The faults of a goalkeeper are given more importance because of his position, but I think they haven't acted right towards him. I also make mistakes.
This was the second and last part of this interview. You can read the first part here:
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