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

International: World cup qualifier and friendlies

With Touré having to rest (read more here) and Keita having found an agreement with his national team officials that he can stay in Barcelona, eight Barcelona players will in the end play an international game tonight.

Márquez plays with Mexico a World Cup 2010 qualifying game against Honduras, the others play friendly games (read more here).


6 pm
Hleb
Cyprus-Belarus

7:30 pm
Eto'o
South Africa-Cameroon

9 pm
Henry; Cáceres
France-Uruguay

10 pm
Puyol, Xavi
Spain-Chile

1 am
Alves
Brasil-Portugal

2 am
Márquez
Honduras-Mexico

The time indications are "barcelona time". You can comment on these games here.

January move to Celtic unlikely for Sylvinho

Asked about the rumours linking Barcelona left back defender Sylvinho (34) with a move to Celtic Glasgow in January (read more here), the player's agent Hans Lamberz has said in an interview with British tabloid The Daily Mail that he believes it is more likely the player will wait until his contract expires next summer than quit Barca in the January transfer window:

"He may not be playing, but that doesn't mean he wants to leave. He is adored by the fans, he adores them and he loves being at a huge club like Barça. I'd say it is far more likely he will look at his situation in June when his contract expires. He is at a huge club and wants to give everything he can for them.

Then he can think of another club, be it Celtic or someone else. Celtic have yet to make their intentions clear with a firm offer. I know they had discussions with his club when Barcelona were on pre-season tour in Saint Andrews, but I don't know if Sylvinho's name was ever mentioned."

Asked about the rumours, Sylvinho is quoted by Catalan sports paper Sport as confirming that Celtic didn't yet make an official bid: "I didn't receive a firm proposal by Celtic, but my first priority has been and will always be Barça. If the club would tell me that they don't want me anymore and that I should go and play elsewhere, I would have to look at other options, but at this moment I don't have any concrete offers."

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Celtic still wants to sign Sylvinho next winter and could contact the defender this week to ask him about this possibility. If Sylvinho would be willing to move to Scotland, Celtic will make a formal bid.

Read more:
Sylvinho confirms Celtic Glasgow interest
Sylvinho: "We have a squad to make history"
Celtic Glasgow interested in Sylvinho and Jeffren

Guardiola trying to keep hold on leader spot

Guardiola:
The important thing is not getting there...

It's staying there...

(click the cartoon to enlarge)

see more cartoons here

elmundodeportivo.es

Barça B: Serbia thinking about Maric

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona Atlètic forward Goran Maric (24) could be called-up for the Serbian national team.

Serbian national team coach Radomir Antic would have met with Maric and his entourage a few days ago to inform him that he is following the striker and to ask about his situation.

Antic, who still knows Maric from his time as Celta Vigo coach when Maric was one of the promising talents of the Celta youth academy, could possibly come and watch a game of the Barcelona B team and will anyhow follow the performances of the Serbian forward during this season closely.

Read more:
Barça B - Official: Maric
Ex-Barça: Antic to Serbia
Youth: Anselmo called-up for Equatorial Guinea