Boss accepts: "we've still got things to improve"
Reminds press that Rayo “were the team with the second best possession stats last season"
Real Sociedad are “a very good team with some excellent individuals"
Barça’s style of play for the 2013/14 season is gradually becoming clearer - against Ajax and Rayo, the team looked impressive and bagged six goals in the second halves of both games, performances that Tata Martino believes show the way the team needs to move forward: “I’d like to see us doing what I saw in the second half against Ajaz and Rayo, but for longer periods”. The Argentinean admitted though: “we’ve still got things to improve”. Martino was questioned about the possession stats for his team, which have been the source of a lot of speculation recently: “for Barça – just like for Newell’s – possession is very important, but it is also true that we have to look at certain characteristics of our opponents too, as well as recent games between us and if necessary their coach”. As an example, Martino recalled: “a year ago away to Rayo we had 55% of the possession” – a similar figure to Saturday’s - “Rayo were the team with the second highest possession figures in the league last season , only behind Barça”. With another week of midweek games in the league, Barça face Real Sociedad on Tuesday at the Camp Nou and the boss explained: “I think that Real Sociedad are a very good team, probably one of the best last season, they’ve made a good start by qualifying for the Champions League, though it’s not easy to play in two competitions and it’s normal that they might be feeling a bit tired. They are a good group and have some excellent individuals going forward”. The boss also referred to his Brazilian star, explaining: “you can see in what Neymar has offered the team a player who has adapted to the needs and style of the team, not just on a creative sense, but also in tracking back. We are very satisfied about what he is bringing us”.
Martino also spoke about the rotations in his own squad, with Cesc Fàbregas the latest player to be rested: “I make the rotations according to the minutes the players have put in, here and with their national teams, as well as bearing in mind our rivals”. Taking into account internationals, Valdés and Neymar Jr are the two players who have played most minutes so far.