Cristian Tello: “The victory is a little in the background, the goleada was the most important thing"

The Barça B striker thanked Pep Guardiola for the confidence the manager has placed in him and for his Champions League debut.

Dani Alves: “we did a sensational job tonight”.



Leo Messi, with an astounding five-goal performance, took the show tonight at the Camp Nou. However, there was another player on the pitch that made a huge impression on the Barça faithful. Cristian Tello, who plays for Barça B, scored two goals in his Champions League debut. The youngster said, “the victory is in background because the goleada [rout] was important. My first goal, I signaled that I wanted a deep pass and with Cesc’s pass, I was all by myself against the keeper. Afterward, I only had to knock it in.” The canterano went on to describe what Josep Guardiola told him before he came out onto the pitch: “the boss told me that I should ask for the ball as long as I had a goal scoring opportunity. He tells me to be myself. My pace is important.”

The key to Tello’s success: the boss’s confidence

Guardiola once again put his confidence in the budding star just one month after giving Tello his La Liga debut. “The reserve side works really well and thanks to the boss I’ve been able to make my debut for the first team,” said Tello, although he feels more like a Barça B player than a first-team member. “I’m very pleased to be here but I know that my team is Barça B. This is a surprise for me. I hope the boss keeps his confidence in me.” It’s not just Guardiola that sees potential in the youngster, the Camp Nou faithful do as well. Tello was quick to thank the team’s supporters: “I’m very happy with the victory and I want to thank the public for the way they supported me.”

This victory has given the Barça squad confidence: “the team is great, with high morale and we’re aware that we cannot lose any points.”

Here are the most important statements made by the Barça players after the match:

Dani Alves: “we performed sensationally tonight. We don’t have any preferences in the quarter-finals. Fewer teams remain and we have to try and prepare well for the next tie and win it. We know that as time goes on fewer teams remain, only the best [can stay].”

Sergio Busquets: “in football you always try to score goals. It’s clear that we had possession but we also like to score goals, that’s why spectators come [to the stadium]. It’s what we like to do.

“Strong teams have been eliminated from the competition. It’s clear that there are teams that aren’t as famous, but the Champions League is the Champions League and it will be difficult to beat any team.

“It’ll be difficult because we know that we can’t falter in the League, we don’t have any margin of error.” (via FCBarcelona.com)