The Asturian forward is clear that “scoring away from home is very important and if we can return to Barcelona with an advantage, even better”
“Messi is our marquee player, whatever we do to make him more comfortable helps us all in the long run,” says Villa
David Villa was a key player in FC Barcelona’s historic comeback against AC Milan at the Camp Nou three weeks ago. He scored one the four goals that clinched a spot in the quarter finals of the Champions League for Tito Vilanova’s men. Barça’s first match of the round of 8 will be played at the Parc des Princes against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday. On tomorrow’s showdown, the forward said: “we cannot commit the same error we did against Milan because it’s difficult to fight back. We need to be on form in both matches.” He added that there is no such thing as a favourite in the tie, as “it can only be decided on the pitch.” He went on to say that “in a high-caliber competition like this it’s very difficult to pick a favourite. Every team that has made it to this point deserves to be here, and all fo them can make it to the final.”
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With that said, Villa went on to talk about how the Blaugrana will approach tomorrow’s match: “we know that scoring away from home is very important. If we can return to Barcelona with an advantage, even better.”
“Let’s hope Ibrahimovic doesn’t have a good night”
FC Barcelona will once again cross paths with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who now plays for PSG. Villa knows that the Swede is a fantastic player and that’s why the Spaniard “hopes Ibrahimovic doesn’t have a good night.” He added: “I have confidence in our defence, they have played against him before.” The Asturian also talked about Thiago Silva, who “is great in the air on set pieces.”
“It’s about the team not the situation of one player.”
“I feel great physically despite the small injuries,” said Villa when asked about his current form. “I have more confidence now than I had a couple of week ago. I’m happy and content.” When asked about his future plans, the forward responded: “it would be disrespectful to talk about my future ahead one of the biggest matches of the season. It’s about the team not the situation of one player.” He added: “I have played and trained hard in order to have more time on the pitch and be influential in the team. I’m reaping the fruits of my hard work. I live in the present, I don’t focus on the past or the future.”
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“Messi is our marquee player”
When asked about the Messi-Villa duo, the forward stated: “He is our marquee player, the most important player on the team. What we do to make him feel comfortable helps us all in the long run.”
Tito and Abidal’s return
The Asturian went on to talk about Tito Vilanova’s return to the team. “It’s a great joy to have him here with us. He’s our leader and that makes everything easier, especially when so much is at stake … We are so so happy to see him like this, healthy. We have to enjoy him and hope that from now on it’s nothing but good news.”
Villa had similar words for Éric Abidal: “he’s an example for us all, not only athletes. He’s an example of what can be achieved through hard work, values and effort.”