MILAN - FCB

Xavi: “We were superior, we dominated but we didn't finish the match off"

Three of the four Barça captains believe the game was “difficult” despite the many chances the Catalan team enjoyed

The tie will be decided at the Camp Nou, where Puyol believes that the fans “will be with the team from the first minute”

The goalless draw at the San Siro means that the Champions League quarter-final tie will be decided at the Camp Nou this Tuesday. “We had many chances to score. We tried with long possessions but we weren’t able to capitalise on the chances we created. It’s a shame,” said Víctor Valdés. Carles Puyol added that Milan is a team with “dangerous players” and that the game “was very difficult.” According to Xavi, his team was “superior, we dominated the game but we didn't finish off the match.”

“We shouldn’t look for excuses”

The referee decisions throughout the match were controversial for the players on the pitch. Puyol added that during a corner kick he was held back by his mark: “I broke free but I noticed that someone was grabbing my shirt. I pointed it out to the referee and he told me that it wasn’t a penalty. However, we cannot look for excuses. We have to play well, refereeing is very difficult.” Along the same lines, Víctor Váldes considers that “the referee is the man the makes the decisions” and that everything will become “more clear in the replays.”

Puyol also said the San Siro pitch is another factor to consider: “The pitch appeared to be in good condition but it was slippery during training and during the game. These things happen.”

“It will be one of the best matches”

“It’s always important to score away from home but now it’s time to work hard and, especially, defend well. Like the boss says, if we have to play with nine defenders we will, but we have to win,” said Valdés. Puyol called upon the Camp Nou faithful to attend next Tuesday’s match: “It will be one of the best games. They are aware of what is at stake and I’m sure they’ll be with us from the first minute.”

Here are some of the statements made by Barça players after the match:

Mascherano: “The pitch was a problem in the stadium and it affects other teams.

“It’s the result that we finished with, I believe that we deserved more. If we play next week’s match like today, I’m sure we’ll go through.”

Messi: “It was a difficult match be we have to win.

“We played our game but it was difficult because of the pitch and because they are very strong.

“It’s a dangerous situation. Either team could go through, we hope we can score so it will be us. We deserved to win.”

AC Milan - FC Barcelona: Goals have to wait till the Camp Nou (0-0)

Barça took a 0-0 draw from Milan at the San Siro tonight - leaving the return game at the Camp Nou to decide who gets through to the Champions League semi-final

Milan were hemmed into their own half, especially before the break and at the end of the game

It’s all square after the first leg in Milan, with Barça undoubtedly the winners on points – having dominated, particularly in the first half and making the chances – with three good penalty shouts ignored. However, in football it’s goals that count and Barça weren’t quite able to get on the scoresheet tonight, leaving the Camp Nou to decide who gets through to the last four.

Guardiola: “Our fans cannot let us down on Tuesday”

The Barça manager urged Barça fans and members to attend the match at the Camp Nou on Tuesday and help the team qualify for the semifinals

Guardiola is clear that to be Champions League winners against that the team must “overcome thousands of things, and do an even better job [than last year]”

The fact that Milan is satisfied with a goalless draw is the “highest form of praise” for Guardiola

Josep Guardiola urged FC Barcelona fans and members to attend next week’s Champions League showdown with AC Milan: “Our fans cannot let us down on Tuesday. They need to come to the stadium and carry us to the semi-finals. These players have done too much to be abandoned. This Tuesday we have a final in our stadium with our people. We need the Camp Nou to be full. We have a chance to go through and between us all I believe it’s possible.”

The Barça manager considers that Milan’s satisfaction with a goalless draw at the Giuseppe Meazza is “the biggest of compliments,” although he warned that the return match at the Camp Nou “will be terrible” and that “there’s no room to speculate.” Guardiola continued: “A tie is never finished off in the away leg. However, keeping the condition of the pitch in mind, shooting 17 times is meritorious. Milan have seven European Cups, and we went toe to toe with them.”

“It will be a terrible match” 

Referring to the last match between the two sides in the Group Stage, which ended in a two-all draw, Guardiola is clear that “in the world of football, whatever happened before doesn’t matter.” He added: “We know that it will be a terrible match. Milan have very talented players and they they defend well. This is why our fans need to cheer us on more than ever. We only have one option, and that’s to win - between all of us we won’t fail.”

On the condition of the pitch at the Giuseppe Meazza, Guardiola said that his players deserve a lot of credit “playing football or, at the very least, trying.” The manager said “something needs to be done. In the end we adapt to everything, we come and we play. But it’s clearly a problem for the show. It’s also true that to be champions you have to overcome every challenge. We’ve done it in the past and we’ll keep on doing it.”

Guardiola, who refused to talk about the referee, said that “everything is difficult. We’ve won a lot of things, we’ve drawn and we’ve lost. In the latter two we’ve never talked about the referees. To be Champions of Europe again we must do an even better job.”