Yesterday we were reminiscing about his iconic semi-final winning goal vs Chelsea in 2009, this morning we are hearing him bemoan his team’s lack of finishing vs Chelsea in the 2012 semi-final.
He is Barcelona mid-field maestro Andres Iniesta and here is his take on what happened to his team at Stamford Bridge yesterday:
“The result is unjust but we knew that Chelsea are a team that take advantage of their opportunities. We were off target in front of goal but we still have the return leg at home.
“We have the feeling that we created a lot of clear chances, the only thing we were lacking was the final touch. Sometimes this happens. We’ll try to be more effective in the return leg, we have confidence in our ability to overturn today’s scoreline.
“We have had an adverse result and we have to work harder seeing that we’re capable of doing it. It’s not an issue of luck.”
One of my favourite coaches, an eccentric but brilliant old Croat, once said to me after what I perceived to be a moment of injustice on the pitch: “Son, there is no justice in football.”
I’ve never forgotten it and found that nothing could be truer in soccer – and maybe even in life.
From that moment on I understood that in soccer, you had to make your own “justice”.
I think that in saying that Barca’s defeat had nothing to do with luck, Iniesta also believes that this is what Barca will have to do next week at the Nou Camp when Chelsea pays them a visit for the second-leg and the chance to appear at the final in Munich.
Barca must make things happen for themselves, make goals happen – for when it comes down to it there is no one to look after them but themselves.
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Related > Video: Iniesta Champions League goal vs Chelsea 2009
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