Keita: "We have to make one more step"

Barcelona player Seydou Keita gave an interview to Spanish newspaper El Mundo.





Is this final your biggest sporting challenge so far?
For every player, a Champions league final is one of the most important games. We've won the Copa and the Liga but we're still very focused on winning this trophy. It has been a good season, but we still have to make one more step. We have to win. Spain, Catalonia, Barcelona, the whole world, everybody will be very happy if we win it.

Are you willing to play as left back in Rome?
If there would be a problem at some point and I have to help out, like happened against Chelsea after Abidal was sent off, I will do that. But it's not a good moment to start experimenting, and even less in the most important game of the year. The coach knows who can contribute more on that position. I've never played there.

You seem to be convinced.
I'm a midfielder, not a full-back.

Guardiola believes in you.
Everybody likes the way of playing of Messi, of Iniesta. But not everyone can play like them. It's easier to praise them, their game is more attractive. But the coach knows that I can also add important things to the team.

Do you think that your game has developed since you arrived at Barcelona?
Sure. I've learnt a lot of things I didn't know about. In our profession, it's fundamental to keep on learning every day.

At the World cup U-20 in Nigeria in 1999, you were elected as Golden Ball of the tournament, ahead of players like Ronaldinho, Forlán or Xavi.
Pffff, ten years have already passed since then, that's a long time. I played as attacking midfielder then, but since I arrived in the French league I have dropped back. Now I cannot shine a lot, I won't cause big headlines, but I'm also needed to give more balance to my team, so that for example Xavi can give his passes in a more comfortable way.

You feel privileged?
Yes, of course. But I'm not the only one.

A lot of African immigrants who try to come to Europe by boat are from Mali. You came to Europe by plane.
Football was the reason I came to Europe. If it wasn't for the sport, I wouldn't have done anything to leave my continent. You can also be happy in Africa and I was happy. I had a good life in Mali, together with my brothers. One is a doctor, another one is a pharmacist… I didn't have many difficulties. If I wouldn't have become a football player, I would have continued to live there.

Your family gives you advices?
They're always supporting me. They told me that you have to suffer to earn a living. We're all muslims and for us everything is decided by Allah.

The result of the final is also decided?
Sure, it's already written but we have to do everything to win because nobody can know beforehand who will be the champions.

The first thing you will do after the final will be thanking Allah?
You always have to thank Allah, always. We live thanks to him.


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Keita: "We're convinced we can win the treble"

Keita: "We're convinced we can win the treble"

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





How do you feel in Barcelona?
I'n very happy here. In the beginning, the change is difficult because Sevilla and Barcelona are different... It actually seems another country.

Did it help that Dani Alves arived here together with you?
We're getting along very well and we supported each other a lot. Also on the pitch, because I know better than anyone how he plays. Sometimes, I open up the play to the wing without looking and he just appears there at the right moment.

You also had to adapt to the way of playing?
What surprised me the most during the first training sessions was the speed of execution, how fast the ball moved around, if possible only with one or two touches. I had to adapt to the fact that the ball should run rather than the player with the ball at his feet.

How would you define Barcelona's way of playing?
It's all about ball possession and positioning. Everybody knows where he should be and where his team-mate will be. The movements should be synchronized, both when we're pressuring to recover the ball as when we're attacking. During training sessions, the coach forms two teams and we need to play like we're going to play in the next game. We work this way the whole week and when the game is there, you perfectly know what you have to do and how you will play.

How important has Guardiola been for the success of this team?
Now it's very easy to talk about his qualities, because the team is winning everything and things are going excellent, but we all were behind him from the start. He has been crucial for the great season. Pep is a good person and that's the most important thing. He made sure we're all very strong mentally and he has created a very united group. There aren't two teams. There aren't eleven starters and eleven substitutes. Barça is one block and we're all going in the same direction.

What worries you the most from Manchester United?
Honestly? Nothing. I'll explain myself. Barça is the most important thing. If we will be able to play our game and fight like we've always done, there won't be any problem and everything will turn out well. A final is always difficult but you cannot think the whole time that they have Cristiano Ronaldo or Rooney... We're the thing that matters. Manchester isn't that different from us like Chelsea, which was just our opposite, but it's also an English team and they have strong people at the back who are great headers.

It will be a spectacular final...
Without any doubt. It seems that everybody is happy and that no one doubts that Barça and Manchester are the two best teams in the world. If we win the Champions League, I will be the happiest man in the world. Our heads are focused on that final and we're convinced that we can be the champions of Europe and win the treble.


This was the second and last part of this interview. You can read the first part here:
Keita: "I cannot start a final as left back"

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.

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Keita: "I like to watch documentaries late at night"

Barcelona player Seydou Keita gave an interview to Algerian sports paper Le Buteur.





After you scored against Lyon last week, we saw you kneel down and then lift your arms up to the sky. What did you say?
I just repeated 'El Hamdoullah' in Arab several times. It's absolutely normal when you're a muslim, when you are religious, to thank God every time you're happy and I was really happy then to have scored that goal. Being a muslim, my first reaction was to thank God. And even when things are doing bad, we always thank God.

Do you speak Arab?
No but I express in Arab when I pray or when I'm reading the koran.

Talking about islam, you have been one of the few players who supported Kanouté after his action in favour of Gaza (note: after having scored earlier this year, Kanouté displayed a pro-palestine shirt). What can you tell us about that?
When you're a muslim, you have to denounce injustices. This time, it had to do with the Palestinians, but that could have been other people and I would have supported him as well. It's not normal for a muslim to watch people die and not to do anything. Kanouté has done what he thought to be useful and the least thing for me, as a Malian and as a muslim, was to support him. I'm convicned that a lot of players didn't like what happenened in palestina.

There are three muslims at Barça: you, Abidal and Yaya Touré. Do you sometimes help eachother out?
Yes, we do. Barça is a solid team with very clear sporting objectives. So we help eachother out both on and off the pitch, independently of the other being muslim, catholic or protestant. At Barça, our joint cause is football and everyone respects the other's opinions. Personally, when I have to pray at the stadium or during travelling, I do it without shocking anybody.

And how are you dealing with the ramadan?
For us, top level players, it's very difficult to do our job while respecting the ramadan. But that doesn't mean I'm not following it. Something it's more complicated, for example when we have two games in one week, but also then I still try to abstain. In the worst case, I eat but then I compensate that later. If you really believe, everyting becomes possible en I'm doing all I can to properly combine my job and the five pillars of islam.

When we take a look at the Malian national team, we see that they have several top level players like yourself, Kanouté, Real Madrid's Diarra... Why aren't you able to set another step that would allow you to win the African Cup of Nations or to qualify for the World Cup?
You've named three first level players, there's a fourth one, Sissoko, and even a fifth one, but a team has more than five players. It's true that we have excellent young players, but it's difficult for them to compete with the best African teams like Cameroon or Ivory Coast. We nevertheless still have a chance to qualify for the World Cup and it's up to us to prove we can do it.

The fact that you're the nephew of Salif Keita, has this been a disadvantage or has it on the contrary opened some doors for you in Spain?
Sincerely, it's the first time that I'm asked this question. Being the nephew of a former star player doesn't mean anything because in the end a player is judged by his performances on the pitch and not by is name or his ancestors. Salif doesn't even give me advise because I always go to my father when I need advise. I just exchange some polite words with Salif when we meet at the national team.

What do you watch on television?
I might surprise you, but when I'm with my wife and my son, I love to watch African, and especially Ivorian, stage play. I also like to watch documentaries late at night and, of course, the relgious programs on 'Canal Satellite'. So you can say I'm not a cinephile.

That means you don't have a favourite actor or actress?
Well, let's say Will Smith. Let's go for him, even though I'm not watching a lot of movies!


Read more:
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Keita: "Guardiola has a lot of confidence in me"

Barcelona player Seydou Keita gave an interview to Spanish weekly sports paper Don Balón.





Making you eat together is part of the Guardiola system. What has surprised you most about his style of coaching and his way of dealing with the group?
Guardiola is a calm person who knows what he is doing. I remember what we said when we lost against Numancia on matchday one, it is the same as what he says now. After that game we could not imagine we would do what we have done, but surely he knew what he wanted.

Is it true that Guardiola is someone who does not impose his ideas, but convinces you with his words?
I am very good with him. Once I was even surprised by what he said, it was the first time that a coach had told me that.

What did he say?
I do not know how to explain it, it was about personal things, but he surprised me, and showed me that he had a lot of confidence in me, more than I thought. I had scored three goals and I said to myself that I had to do much more, but the coach was already very happy with what I had done. Perhaps people want every player at Barca to be like Messi for example, but that is not possible (smiles). As a team, everybody does their job, and if he does it well then the coach will be happy.

Guardiola knows how to convey confidence thanks to his words, his attitude and his past...
Yes, and he says what he thinks, he will never talk for the sake of talking. When things are not going well he tells you because he is not happy. This happened with me once, and I think it is a good way to act. You have to comment on things that are done well and also on the things that are done badly in order to correct what is not working. Also, we do plenty of video sessions. The coach leaves nothing to chance.

Lets talk about your time at Sevilla. You were there for one season. What is your best memory?
From Sevilla I have good memories, but there I also felt a lot of sadness. Not on a sporting level, but what happened to our teammate Antonio Puerta. When you arrive at a club, and within weeks something happens like what happened, you may end up having a good season but you know you do not feel happy. Antonio was a kid who was always happy, full of life, and everything happened on the pitch, in front of us. It was very hard. You can lose friends, but to see it with your own eyes is very difficult. Later, the coach left, and things were very complicated. But despite everything, the team struggled and made a great season, sportingly speaking. But as I say, it was not easy.

Who do you maintain a relationship with from the staff at Sevilla?
I maintain in contact mainly with my friend Frederic Kanoute and with the physiotherapists. Sevilla is part of my past and is a club I love very much.

What luck that Alves came with you to Barca, right?
Yes. It is always better to change clubs at the same time as a teammate.

Tell me a secret: what does Alves eat to be up and down the pitch from the first minute until the ninetieth without getting tired?
That is how Dani plays. And he did the same in Seville, it was always like that.

To conclude, have you felt yourself the racism in football?
If you want me to tell you the truth, not many people are behaving in a racist manner, and those who do, do not understand anything at all. They don’t see that we are all equal, and that when they defend the colours of a club, it doesn’t matter which one is white, black or yellow. What counts is the shirt, this is most important. Then, those who behave like racists in general have not understood anything, I didn't choose to be black, you didn't choose to be white, we breathe the same air, we eat the same things, there is nothing to distinguish us, just skin colour. But in my opinion, everyone thinks what they want, frankly.

You're very religious. How do you explain the importance of religion in your daily life?
It is true, religion is very important to me. I was born into a Muslim family, and as we said, coming into the world in one place or another is not something one chooses. But above all, with time I learned to know what it is to be Muslim. Professing my religion, I don’t have any problems with anyone, I am calm and healthy, but is difficult to explain this to people because, as a result of certain things that have happened, people now associate the ideas of muslims with violence. But inwardly, I feel great and I have no problem with any other belief. Everybody is free to do what they want.

Do you follow the ramadan? Would you be willing to leave a club if they prevented you from following it?
I do not see why they would put obstacles in my way when the ramadan lasts a month and the season is lengthened to nine months. Football is our job and we must do things so they do not pose difficulties for our work, and compensate later in the evening or even during the week, so I have no problem. I do celebrate the ramadan, but with the competitions, it is impossible to comply every single day of the month. It would not be normal to say that I did not train or play during the entire month of the ramadan, I have to do my job. And God gives you options. God does not impose things on people if you do not have the ability to do them.

Translated by: Andrew


This was the third and last part of this interview. You can read the previous parts here:
Keita: "I have to get better to contribute something"
Keita: "Piqué lives in his own crazy world"

Keita: "Piqué lives in his own crazy world"

Barcelona player Seydou Keita gave an interview to Spanish weekly sports paper Don Balón.





All Barca fans were very happy with your great goal against Real Madrid last year. Is that the best goal of your career?
I do not think so. Last year, for example, I scored other goals that were more or less the same, like against Fenerbahçe and Arsenal in the Champions League. Of course, now that I am a Barça player, I would say that yes, that was my best goal (laughs).

Perhaps we are expecting to see a more offensive Keita. You have even played once as left back. At Barca do you have a slightly different role?
It's true, I played about twenty minutes as left back due to the circumstances. But yes, my role is different now. For about eight years I played as a defensive midfielder, so I can not become a number ten over night. I try to add things and score goals on occasion.

In fact, the fans want to see more goals of this type. Statistics in hand, it is the unfinished business of Barça to shoot more from in front of the goal.
Yes, but it's easier to score when you play on any another team than Barça. When you have eight, nine or ten players defending you can not shoot just like that.

Of course. However, your three goals with Barca in the league have been crucial...
Well yes, crucial (smiles), when they have avoided a major defeatn they were important.

Passing a ball to Henry, Messi or Eto'o ensures danger. Do you have the impression that, ultimately, they get all the credit?
These are the things of football. Each player in each position has his role, and finishing is the job of the forwards. There will be other players who score goals, but these three complete the work of the team. This does not mean they do more or are more important than others, they simply complete the work because they are in front of the goal more often. This is normal, they have the talent to do it and that is why they are so admired and play for Barca.

And you do not have the feeling that the fans appreciate the work of the Barca midfield the least?
For me it is normal and I don’t feel jealous about it. The day we win with a goal of mine, the forwards we were talking about, will jump on me to celebrate. And when Puyol or Abidal score (laughs) we will all jump on them, because it will be the goal of victory. I am very happy that Eto'o, Messi and Henry score so many goals because it is good for everyone, like the work of the defence and the midfield, where scoring goals is not the task, it is useful for everyone. When you play as a team, you know you play a collective sport, and we must not feel jealous.

Certainly having Messi... Is he the best in the world?
Seeing the things he does, I would say yes, but at Barcelona there are only great players. It is true that Messi has a 'plus', and I do not need to tell you, you have seen that what he does is impressive.

We have talked about it before, was it difficult for you to adapt to a 4-3-3?
It was not difficult. I have learned to play in this system, while there are players who come to Barca and it is impossible. Some take a year to adapt, but others never adapt and have to change clubs.

How do you judge your performance so far?
It is difficult to judge myself, but for the six months I have been here I would say that I have done (thinking)... well (laughing). But there is still a lot of the season left. Last year, with Sevilla, I scored only four goals, three more in the Champions League, and everyone said that I had done well. This year I have three goals in league, so whatever happens, I will not do worse than at Sevilla because from now until the end of the season I will surely score another goal (laughs).

One of the things that has changed in relation to last year, when you were not here yet, is the atmosphere in the dressing room, which this year is excellent. According to Henry and Piqué, it is very funny...
Well, Piqué lives in his own world, he’s crazy (laughs). But I do not think that it was us, the new people, who have changed the environment. Football is different each year, every game and every day is different. Last year was difficult for all, with regard to the environment, outside the dressing room and at the club. But things have changed.

What has changed?
Football works like this, we were lacking 'something', which in our case we needed the best coach, and he has given confidence to the players, making everyone play so that everyone feels important. Similarly, when the team wins, everything seems easy, and with each victory, the unity of the group is strengthened, it creates good atmosphere and the fans also become more confident, it's normal. But it is not because we have new players who come and fool around in the locker room.

How is your relationship with your teammates off the pitch?
We have a good relationship. In the short time I have been here I'm fine with everyone. The truth is that we don’t see each other much off the pitch.

Ah no?
With a match every three days, our families almost don’t see hide nor hair of us (laughs) so it is a bit difficult to spend our time-off with teammates. In addition, at Barca we arrive an hour early, we have breakfast here and we eat here often. I've never done anything like this at any of the other clubs I have been at. We spend four or five hours a day together, and if we add to that the trips and parties, it is enough to be a united group (laughs).

Translated by: Andrew


This was the second part of this interview. You will be able to read the third part in the coming days. You can read the first part here:
Keita: "I have to get better to contribute something"

Keita: "I have to get better to contribute something"

Barcelona player Seydou Keita gave an interview to Spanish weekly sports paper Don Balón.





Seydou , how did you feel when you found out that Barca would pay the release clause that you had with Sevilla?
I felt happy. I saw that the work that I had done in the last few years, and above all during my year at Sevilla, had borne fruit. It is very good to be here, but the most difficult thing is to maintain myself at this level. So I was content when I signed for Barca, but I have to be even better now in order to contribute something. That which is the most difficult and the most important is still to be done.

This is what you have been doing this season?
Collectively, yes. I am very happy with what I have done at the club since I arrived, although I have suffered two injuries that have reduced my playing time. But, nevertheless, I have contributed a little to the team.

When you went to Sevilla you said that if you could not leave your mark on the team then you would leave. Did you think the same thing when you signed for Barca this summer?
Yes, but this is normal. When you move to a new club it is to contribute something. It is the same in all jobs, like it happens to you journalists: when you change your job it is to be better, to try to get the interview before the others (he laughs), it is always so. What’s more is that you are among colleagues and when you see that one of them has done something good, you have the desire to do something at least similar. We all want to contribute something in our own way.

Your teammate, Eric Abidal, said recently that this Barca is the best team he had ever seen. Do you share this view?
You know, it has always been difficult for me to talk about oneself. So far, things are going very well but what is important is what happens at the end of the season. Will we be the league champions? Will we lift the Copa? Will we win the Champions League? This is what matters in big teams like Barca, and it is on these things, that journalists like you, will judge us at the end of the season (smiling).

Regarding the game, are you having a great time?
Yes, it's a pleasure to see Barca play. When I was in Sevilla, or in other clubs where I have played, I ran a lot and did the dirty work, but when I came here the coach and the others told me that the ball is the one who has to run. As a midfielder I was accustomed to running from one place to another, demanding the ball. With Barca this is not quite the case.

Explain this to us...
Here, each player is positioned in his area and circulates the ball. You have to wait until the ball comes to you in order to continue the movement, and it is not easy to be patient and position yourself well in the field. For me, this is the only difficult thing with Barca. When you adapt to it, everything follows. In the first few months I was running everywhere and the coach told me to be patient. Although you're not playing the ball this time, it will come and I will shoot. For the last few months everything is going perfectly.

And what do you think about the rotation system established by Guardiola? Would you like to play more?
Yes, of course, like everyone in the world. If I was the only one who was encountering this situation then I could ask for more playing time but this is not the case. In fact, in the game we played in Santander, Messi started on the bench. On other occasions it was others who were on the bench and in the future it will be others. When you're a football player at times you can be selfish because you want to play all the games, but with a team like Barca, with so many matches, so many trips and so many talented players, your physical form would be impaired if you were to compete in all the events. The coach can change the team, but we always win, so everything is going well. There is nothing to say.

On a different topic, Guardiola said that Xavi is essential. Do you also think that of the three midfielders, he has the greatest role?
Xavi brings a lot to the team, and above all, he is a footballer who knows this style of play because he has always been in this system. Iniesta, for example, changes position often and doesn’t have the same stability in the game as Xavi, who can only play in the position in which he does and that is his known role. I have occupied various positions and every footballer has to adapt themselves to do his job as best as possible, but for Xavi, it is always the same (smiling) and it’s normal.

In fact, you coincided with Xavi in the World cup under-20 of 1999, but it was you who was named best player of the tournament. Have you ever talked to him about it?
Yes, sometimes. The last time that we talked about it we realised that it had been nearly ten years since that World cup under-20. We talk about how time has passed so quickly and how so much has happened.

Tell me one thing, we journalists are incapable of guessing the line-up for Barca this season. Do the players also have this feeling or, more or less, are the able to guess who is going to play in each game match?
To guess? Frankly, it is not a guess. We always prepare to be ready to play. For example, the coach says that Xavi is essential and therefore he plays more than others but he is also part of the rotations. So it is difficult to hit on the correct starting line-up for each game.

Translated by: Andrew


This was the first part of this interview. The other parts will follow in the coming days.

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Keita: "One hour before we know who will play"

Barcelona player Seydou Keita gave an interview to Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo.





How do you deal with not being a fixed stater?
I was one of the last players who has arrived here so I still have to go through the adaptation process. Although I think no Barcelona player can consider himself a regular, we're all able to add something.

Not even Messi?
It's a different player, very important for the team, but it's clear that not even he can play every game.

Puyol and Touré don't travel to Lisbon.
That's what I'm saying. There's a lot of quality in the squad and we all have to be ready because we will have opportunities.

Without Touré, there's a big chance you'll play as defensive midfielder against Sporting...
Sergio Busquets is also there. And I can play higher on the left. The coach has a lot of options and until one hour before the game, we don't know who will play.

This uncertainty until the last moment doesn't have a bad effect?
The opposite. I think it's a good thing because it keeps all the players focused and you're avoiding that those who won't play let themselves go.

We knew that you could play several position in midfield, but it was a surprise to see you play the last twenty minutes against Getafe as left back defender.
Well, for me it was a surprise too. It was the first time in my career that I played as full back. When Gudjohnsen came on for Sylvinho, I was the only left-footed player left on the pitch. We hadn't prepared it though.

So you never practised as left back defender with Guardiola?
No. Every game is different and on Sunday it was necessary that I played there. The coach explained it to me and that's it. I suppose that this won't happen in a normal game, it was an experience for me but I don't think it will be repeated a lot.

You sure gave some of the best crosses of the game...
I tried to give my best, but as left back you have tasks that I'm not used to do. It's not easy.

Getting that first spot in the Champions League group is crucial for the next round opponent. You can't fail in Lisbon.
In Lisbon or anywhere else. When you play at Barcelona, you have to go out trying to win every game. We'll try to secure that first place.

You prefer 'Keite' or 'Keita'?
Puyol calls me 'Keite', in Catalan. It's more like a joken, because they do it in a televison program. I saw it once. I don't mind.

It's an example of the good atmosphere there is in the squad?
When I was going to sign for Barcelona, people told me that the atmosphere wouldn't be easy in such a big club, but it hasn't been complicated. There's a great atmosphere, with a lot of joking. After only three months, Puyol is a great friend, but I'm getting along very well with everybody.


This was the second and last part of this interview. Read the first part here:
Keita: "I hope to get better than last year"

Read more interviews with Barcelona players here

Keita: "I hope to get better than last year"

Barcelona player Seydou Keita gave an interview to Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo.





You watched Koeman score the Champions League winning goal back in 1992. You could imagine back then that you would one day wear the same shirt as Koeman?
I remember that goal. It was a great shot. I was 12 years old and I was just a kid in Africa. I already knew that Barça was a big club but that was all far away for me.

When you were little, you followed some Barcelona player?
I liked Romario and Stoichkov a lot, like the majority of my friends. And alo Guardiola, for how he distributed thr game. And later there was Ronaldo.

Those are almost all strikers. Is there a goalscorer hidden inside you?
No, for me it's very clear which role I have in the team. I work for my team-mates, I help in the defensive organization and I try to help out in attack. I'm not Eto'o or Henry. They have other qualities. But if I can, of course I like to score.

Well, you scored two in two games now and the last one prevented a defeat.
You always have to have some luck when you score. I had it, but I think it's important that we're all focused on trying to score because every goal, no matter who scores it, can decide a game.

You proved that. The weekend before, you scored against Recreativo and you said you were focusing on scoring more goals, participating more in attack. And now you score again.
That's a coincidence but it's true that, when you play for Barcelona, you have to think about going forward while at the same time not forgetting other tasks. Little by little I'm starting to get better at it.

What did you feel when you heard the crowd exploding?
It's an undescribable feeling, an immense happiness.

What about kissing the pitch?
It's a normal thing to do for a muslim like myself. Ithers make a cross, I'm celebrating that way. I dedicated the goal to my wife and my son, who is now six months old.

Is it really hard to adapt to the 4-3-3?
It's an attacking system that is used by few clubs. It forces you to be very concentrated and to focus on your positioning. I needed some time to adapt because it's a new club, a new city, new team-mates... But I'm getting more and more confident and I hope to get better than I was last year in Sevilla.

Also regarding the number of goals?
I hope so. Last season I think I scored seven goals in the Liga and the Champions League. I would like to do better this season.

When will we see one of those powerfull shots from outside the box?
Yes, it's true I haven't launched a lot of those. It's not always possible because every game has its own circumstances. But I'm ready for it.


This was the first part of this interview. You can read the second part here tomorrow with Keita talking -among other things- about the rotations and why he played left back defender on Sunday.

Read more interviews with Barcelona players here