Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia says the team has improved since the nightmare Copa del Rey defeat to Atlético Madrid and thinks the group has learned plenty of lessons from that night ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League Round of 16 first leg against Newcastle.
Joan spoke to the press on Monday and was optimistic about Barça’s chances at St. James’ Park, but also expects a much tougher match than the first meeting between the two earlier this season, when Barça won 2-1 at Newcastle’s home.
But the
goalkeeper believes Barça are a better team than they were a month ago, and have become a more mature, well-rounded team ahead of the most important games of the season.
“We’ve taken a step forward in the last few matches, we press better, when we’re well-structured, we take advantage of the two long weeks to work.
“I already said after the 4-0 against Atlético that we would learn from our mistakes, we are a young squad and we have understood that.
“We’re approaching it with great enthusiasm, knowing there will be a second leg, but we’re sure they’ll come out with everything. We have to learn from the Cup tie against Atlético, where we paid the price for what happened in the first leg.”
“I repeat that it helps to have already played here, but we have to be focused and match their high pace. They try to press, they rely heavily on their physicality. We already did it on the day of the 2-1 win, but we have to repeat it and improve on what we didn’t do so well.”
Barça have indeed shown plenty of improvement, winning four games in a row and looking better defensively while also displaying some wonderful attacking football at times. This is as good as the team could look ahead of the biggest European test of the season so far, but they still need to prove that the improvement shown in domestic games can be translated into the Champions League.
