Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Messi’s press conference


“Bayern beat us by too many goals for what we are as a team. It means we’re hungrier this year”

“I hope we have an understanding with Neymar on the pitch. He’s a great player coming to a star-studded team and I don’t think he’ll have trouble adapting”

Leo Messi spoke to the press today following the first of two training sessions on the Barça squad’s second day back. Here we pick ten of his most interesting comments.

1. “I am looking forward to the preseason, as always. We’re excited about the preseason, we want to do things well and achieve the objectives we’ve set ourselves from the start”

2. “My hunger to play every game hasn’t changed. I hadn’t been injured for some time, but there’s always that risk whenever you go onto the pitch. It was a small injury, but it got aggravated”

3. On the tax issue: “I’m very calm about it. My lawyers and advisors, who know about these things and who I trust, will be the ones who sort it out. I don’t understand these things.”

4. “I hope we have an understanding with Neymar on the pitch. He’s a great player coming to a star-studded team and I don’t think he’ll have trouble adapting”

5. “I hope Neymar scores a lot of goals for the good of the team, that’s what we need to fight for”

6. “Thiago decided to leave because he thinks he’ll play more there. It’s his decision, whether or not we understand it”

7. “The World Cup is a long way off. I’m thinking about the club and the competitions we’re in. When it gets nearer I’ll think about it, but I have objectives with this team first”

8. “Bayern is a great team and won the Champions League convincingly. With Guardiola they’ll be even stronger”

9. “Madrid are strong every year because of the players they have, and what that club means. As always, it’ll be a very difficult league”

10. “Bayern beat us by too many goals for what we are as a team. It means we’re hungrier this year”