Nice interview with Bonano on Fcbarcelona.com.. makes you wonder what exactly was going on while LvG was there... Getting excited for the trip to San Siro tomorrow!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Goalkeeper Roberto Bonano has warned against getting carried away by the recent run of good results, and pointed out that the team still fades for a few minutes during matches. "The main thing is to consolidate and improve. There's optimism, but at the same time we have to accept that we are still making mistakes. We're not the perfect team. It's great to see the change and there's more confidence around the squad, but if we want to be a team with serious possibilities, we have to improve in areas where we are slipping up". Bonano told reporters that it seemed like a long time since he said he felt professional shame because of the poor results of the team. "Things can change really quickly in football. You mustn't forget that, nor can you feel complacent with our place in the table. It's true that we're not looking over our shoulders at the relegation places, but we can't be satisfied with our current position". However, the Barca first choice goalie was certainly pleased with the run of three wins, especially the European victory against Inter Milan. This Wednesday's return match in the San Siro will give Barca the chance to prove their worth against top class opposition. Bonano admitted that the players are aware that their run of good results in Europe had to be confirmed against one of Europe's top clubs. "With all due respect, up to now our opponents in Europe haven't been top drawer. Putting together 10 wins was quite an achievement, but beating a top notch team like Inter was really the icing on the cake". Bonano explained coach Radomir Antic's part in the change in fortune. "He gave us confidence in ourselves and a bit of peace and quiet. He insulated us from all the tension. He laid down two or three basic footballing principals, but he didn't make any big changes, because that wouldn't have been the best idea. He's gradually getting across his ideas, but more than anything else he's trying to get us organized on the pitch, calm things down and make us see what we are capable of. Football quality isn't a matter of magic and neither does it come or go overnight. There was quality in the squad and it was a case of knowing how to bring it out".
Preview fro mUEFA.com http://www.uefa.com/competitions/UCL/FixturesResults/Round=1637/Match=1038250/index.html Inter out for revenge Tuesday, 25 February 2003 By Patrick Hart Revenge was the word on Héctor Cúper's lips as the Internazionale FC coach spelt out the importance of Wednesday's UEFA Champions League meeting with Group A leaders FC Barcelona at the San Siro. Source of motivation Inter go into the game keen to reassert themselves in the section after last week's 3-0 defeat by the Catalan side left them looking over their shoulders at third-placed Newcastle United FC. "We played badly in Barcelona and that is a source of motivation," Cúper said. "This will be a different game." Only way is up At Camp Nou, Barcelona extended their winning run in this season's competition to eleven games. Until recent weeks, this record had belied an indifferent domestic campaign yet Radomir Antic's arrival as coach has reinvigorated Barcelona. "They are in form. Once you hit the bottom, the only way is up," said Cúper. Indeed, Barça's "new momentum" has yielded successive victories against RCD Espanyol, Inter, and Real Betis Balompié. I don't want to hear the players talking about anything other than Barça Cúper focused Fact is, Inter need the win more than the visitors do - they trail the Blaugrana by three points, with Newcastle another three behind. Cúper's focus is on the job in hand, and he refused to let his press conference be hijacked by questions about the abuse given to Inter players Stéphane Dalmat and Domenico Morfeo by their own supporters during Sunday's 3-1 league success against Piacenza FC. "We are thinking about Wednesday, and I don't want to hear the players talking about anything other than Barça," he said. Vieri drought Christian Vieri, who has spoken up for his team-mates, can further help their cause with a first Champions League goal of the season. The centre-forward has registered 21 times for the joint-Serie A leaders but not once in Europe. The onus will be on Vieri to break that sequence as Inter are without the injured Hernán Crespo and suspended Alvaro Recoba. With Iván Córdoba also serving a ban, Marco Materazzi should partner Fabio Cannavaro in central defence, while Mohamed Kallon and ex-Barça man Francesco Coco will feature after missing out on Matchday 9. Inter will want to show that last week was a one-off Attack, attack, attack Coco's colleague at Camp Nou last year, Barcelona captain Carlos Puyol, echoed Cúper's assertion that his team would go out to attack. The defender said: "If we go there looking for a draw, we will probably lose." Given Barcelona's recent problems, it was strange to hear Puyol warn against "over-confidence". "Inter will want to show that last week was a one-off," he said. Feelgood factor While there has been speculation in the Netherlands that Frank de Boer and Phillip Cocu could both leave the club in the summer, De Boer's immediate concern is to partner Puyol in a back four also likely to contain Gabri García and Michael Reiziger. In midfield Cocu should appear alongside Xavi and two from Gaizka Mendieta, Thiago Motta and Fabio Rochemback. Meanwhile, Javier Saviola's hat-trick against Betis should earn him a place alongside Patrick Kluivert in attack. Puyol's theory that Barça's "luck has changed" is, however, less of a sure thing.
He can say that, but the fact of the matter is that the Nerazzuri have one of the biggest fixtures of the year this weekend-- the trip to Dell'Alpi. How could they NOT be thinking about it a little? I'm a big believe in mojo (yeah, me and Austin Powers) and the reality is that Inter suffered a stinging loss at Chievo two weeks ago which is probably STILL eating at them and they didn't look so great at home last week. All three goals were deflections or 'picking up trash' as the saying goes. I am not so sure that we're going to see the best Inter tomorrow. Time will tell. Its gut check time for Cuper's squad and Barça looks ominous lately.
Line-ups Barca Bonano 1 Reiziger 2 Frank de Boer 3 Puyol 5 Gabri García 18 Motta 31 Xavi Hernández 6 Cocu 8 Rochemback 15 Kluivert 9 Saviola 7
HT 0-0 Barca had the run of play for the last 10 minutes or so of hte half, but failed to capitalize on it..Uefamatchtracker said Kluivert missed a sitter 2nd Half underway
FT 0-0 Kluivert missed the best chance of hte day..the Uefa.com radio announcer said that Toldo must have had him hypnotized Anyway...Barca is thorugh to the Quarters, and can coast for the rest of the group phase! A solid defensive effort to get a clean sheet away at Inter. Anyone who watched the match???
De Boer said after the match Cocu will probably not play the rest of this season. I guess you'll find out for sure tomorrow
dammit! if that were true, Kluivert should visit a chaman or a witch to break the spell!! it was the only chance besides a FK by JRR that went way too far from the right side of nerazurri's net! Not that fast! Barça has 10, Inter 7 and Newcastle 6, if we lose the last two matches and the others make 4 more, we could be in trouble! they'd be like this: Inter 11 Barça 10 Newcastle 10 Probably 2 months out if he broke the ligament of his knee Dr. Pruna already said he fears the worst.
Antic played the game exactly the opposed he said he'd do! he sent a lock and the only two positive things I find about it are this: 1.- THe defense worked well all the game, brilliant display of catenaccio tactics, if we take in count we had a shaky defense. 2.- Andersson is back! he subbed Puyol after he crashed heads with FDB. It was a game without football, Vieri (trying desperately to score) had the better chance heading close to Bonano's right pipe, Tito played also an awful match, I'm not sure if he had scene fear (not likely since he had had 3 matches in a row like this) but his displays are crumbling, he only reacted well to a shot by Vieri deflected by Puyol early in the second half, we lacked creativity and left the whole field to Inter's initiative, we lacked an organizer to give pace and dictate tempo, Xavi was non existant (yet another time just like last saturday against Betis) our midfield line were composed by 4 defensive mids with the assignment to crush the opposition's flow of the game, Motta on the left, Rochemback on the right, Cocu and Xavi as a double pivot, I have no trouble with the point we earned today but maybe it was time to give JRR a shot, he's a time killer master! All in all we had a result with red numbers Puyol had a facial injury (minor but still) maybe a fisure, Cocu with a possible partial knee ligament injury and LE21 with a strong flu.
Yes sir senator you are correct, I read that little blurb in the initaial match report from Uefa.com, and then later reached the same conclusion. All we need is one point to go forward. Best chance for this.... No suprise.. Bayer leverkusen. Thanks for mailing it in guys!