Thursday 21 May 2009

Keita: "I cannot start a final as left back"

Barcelona player Seydou Keita gave an interiew to Catalan sports paper Sport.





Your first season at Barcelona has been excellent. Winning the Champions League would be the cherry on the cake?
Yes, but it would also be the result of hard work, because I've worked hard to arrive here and I had to adapt to everything. It has been difficult, but now I'm very happy.

You believe you will play in the final?
Yes, of course. We all want to play these games, because they are the most beautiful ones. Whoever will play, he will give everything for the team and that's the merit of the coach. We're a block and we all want to play. I don't care where I would play. Even if the goalkeeper would be sent off and the coach asks it, I will play as goalkeeper... Or as forward. The only thing that matters is winning.

You don't mind the position, so could you play as left back?
Well... I can play as defensive or attacking midfielder, or more on the wing, but I don't see myself as a left back. I would have to adapt and in a final you should try not to change too many things.

You've never played there?
No, never, never... Never at all. Not at Sevilla and not at Lens. During a game, when somebody is sent off or something, you of course sometimes have to play another position because there can be changes and you want to win the game no matter what... Like I told you, I would act as goalkeeper or whatever. But not from the start. I can play as defensive or attacking mdfielder or even a little higher, but not as left back and the coach knows all about it.

You think the team can overcome the absence of Alves and Abidal?
I'm sure the coach is looking at all options and he will decide what is best for the team. We'll miss the two first-choice full backs, but the group is more important than the individuals. There have been a lot of injuries this season, we've all played and we've overcome all problems. We're a team. If Eric and Dani aren't there, those who will play will do as well as them and will help the team winning the final.

What do you know about Henry and Iniesta?
They're working very hard and hopefully they will recover so they can help the team. Andrés and Titi are great players, but Manchester knows that the Barça block will be as solid without them. If they cannot play, others will and if we win they will be happy. Without both of them, Barça played a great game in the final of the Copa last week.



You will be able to read the second part of this interview in the coming days, with Keita talking -among other things- about his adaptation to his new club.

Read more:
Henry, Eto'o, Toure and Keita are for sale
Barcelona and the U-20 World Cup
Keita: "I like to watch documentaries late at night"

13 comments:

LeónDragón said...

...to bring him on the left is as dumb as bringing toure as centerback...pep should look for a better option...toure showed against chelsea that he don't have any idea of how he has to move...did a quiet good job for this position he never learned,but against manu mistakes can be deadly...however pep let them play,hope the best for it...how pitty,that we got into this situation to play without alves and abidal...but i think,that our team can handle every situation after they took so many hurdles...so or so,we will be glorious...respectfully against manu,i believe in it...think this year we deserve it,otherwise if manu do it,whatever happens,we can be proud too...

groga said...

Well, we cannot say he's offering himself there...

rObReV7 said...

New kit has been released:

http://www.fcbarcelona.com/web/english/galeries/club/temporada08-09/05/nou_equipatge/galeria.html

Anonymous said...

@leondragon: yaya played as a centre back before, but not at barca! and whom would you have let played agains chelsea and exspecially drogba caceres ?!?

LeónDragón said...

...to anony...first,give your dumbness a name,so i know to who i'm talking...there were more options than like caceres...what i saw was,that with toure missing in the midfield barca had problems to stop chelsea earlier...also he has skills to help iniesta and xavi to open the game...who pep should had braught is now past,but for the games now comming,i'm not sure if toure is the right choice for cb...time will tell...btw,you freak,toure played as attacking midfielder at piraeus and monaco,but a 100% for sure!!!!!never as cb...get that!!!!!...p.s. i don't know who you are,but i know what you ain't...

LeónDragón said...

...just one question...paid barca 17 millions for caceres to let toure play on his position when a cb is needed?...that's also something i can't understand...

Brett said...

Leon: If a team payed 10m for a 16 year old wonderkid, and 2m for a 34 year old veteran, who would you rather start in the biggest game of any club player's career?

I'm not saying the situation is exactly the same, but it is similar.

LeónDragón said...

...brett,sorry,but what are you talking about?...caceres ain't 16 and no wonderkind nor 34 and was bought for 2m...he was baught for 17m and the question is,is he that worth...and did barca made a right decision to buy him?...if yes,i,again,don't understand why they don't play him...if not,and he's a flop,why so much money...caceres seems to be a mysterium...a ghost,born in txikis head...when you invest 17m in a player,as a top team you should know where the money goes...it seems ridiculous,to have such an expensive player on the bench and letting a midfielder fill out the cb-position...

LeónDragón said...

...better forget about this caceres thing again...don't want anymore negative stuff...let's get the best out of it and let's finish the season with the best result there's to get...think next season,the caceres case will be also decided...

Anonymous said...

totaly agree with you LeónDragón,why the hell did we bought caceres if he is not playing even when our defenders are injured

LeónDragón Amitié said...

...thank you anony...that for some it seems logical...

Anonymous said...

umm because he isnt good enough duh.
I was all for giving Caceres the benefit of the doubt because we did spend so much on him, but its been all season and he hasn't adapted, he has no confidence or technical ability and looks totally out of his element. Hes not comfortable passing the ball out of the back or even handling the ball at his feet. Maybe last summer he seemed to check all the boxes, but turns out he's just not barca material.

Instinct said...

I hope Keita doesen't play goalkeeper...lol

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