Barca needs to kill teams off, Rijkaard says
MADRID: Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard says Barcelona needs to start killing teams off if it is to have any chance of lifting the Spanish title this season.
Barcelona twice threw away the lead in a 2-2 draw with Recreativo Huelva on Saturday and trail leader Real Madrid by nine points after the champion defeated Real Murcia 1-0 on Sunday.
"The team always fights, but sometimes we fail to kill off the game at key stages," said Rijkaard.
"We have to analyze the goals. The second goal was our fault as we allowed the cross to come in too easily. We let two points get away. We started well but then let our guard down.
"I expected us to win it at 2-1 as we had the chances. It is a blow."
With six games left it is asking a lot for Barca to catch Real, but Rijkaard - whose job is under real threat - refuses to wave the white flag.
"It is still mathematically possible to win the league but we have to start collecting more points to do it," said Rijkaard.
Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o, who scored both Barca's goals against Recreatico, backed his manager's words.
"We will continue fighting because there are games left and because the teams ahead of us are not mathematic champions," Eto'o said.
"I don't think we dropped our rhythm. They scored an invalid goal and the second goal was a team mistake. We have games to fight for in the league and the Champions League where we want to reach the final."
Barcelona faces Manchester United in the semifinals of the Champions League - with the first leg on April 23 - and one positive from the Recreativo match was the return of Argentine winger Lionel Messi.
Messi, 20, had been sidelined since tearing a muscle in his left leg on March 5 but returned to action coming on as a substitute on 64 minutes.
"It's his first game back after injury and he's worked hard to get ready to play again," Rijkaard added. "We hope he'll get up to speed soon and get back to performing like he can."
Consistency is Barcelona's problem at the moment and Barcelona defender Carles Puyol admits it is a concern.
"We can't give up but it is getting tougher all the time. We're finding it increasingly hard to win," explained Puyol. "We are unlikely to win the league if we can't win two games in a row.
"We do need to think hard about this. We do the hard part, getting a lead, and then we stop creating chances. We have to get better in this respect because when we take the lead our opponents ought to open up.
"There are a lot of experienced players in the dressing room and we have to improve."
AFP
(China Daily 04/15/2008 page22)
