Courtesy: UEFA.com


Polido pleased by Marca character

Marca Futsal fought back from 2-0 down to draw 3-3 with Sporting Clube de Portugal and beat them on penalties for bronze; coach Tiago Polido said his side's "character" was the key.

Sunday 29 April 2012

by José Nuno Pimentel from Pavelló Barris Nord

Tiago Polido, Marca coach
I am very happy. This year we are not as strong in defence as we were last season and we conceded two goals on the counterattack as a result of our mistakes in possession. We were in control of the game and after the goals we reacted. Before this competition I asked the players to show character because it's how you win matches, showing personality. At certain moments you will suffer setbacks and your opponents will dominate.

The second half was different. Sporting took control, we were more tired but I think it was fun for the fans. In the end, I think we deserved the luck in the shoot-out.

Adriano Foglia, Marca double goalscorer & man of the match
The team played well. We went 2-0 down at the start but we fought hard and we showed that we deserved to be here. It was the result of a great deal of work and dedication. This prize [of man of the match] is not only mine but for the whole team as without them it would be difficult

[Early on] I think we were still a little bit broken after losing the way we did against Dinamo [3-0 in the semi-finals]. But we did well today as Sporting are also a great team. Today I was cooler than in the other match, in which I was very nervous and today, more calmly, I was able to play better.

Orland Duarte, Sporting coach
We conceded two goals that I think only a team like us concedes. But they are worth as much as the others, even though ours had much more quality. But it's not quality that counts. I think the result was extremely unfair. We deserved to win mainly because of the way we played in the second half, when we missed so many chances.

I think we were a better team than Marca but we failed at crucial times. For me, Foglia was not the man of the match, it was [Marca goalkeeper Gabriel] Miraglia. He produced a performance from another world in the second half and in the shoot-out he was also good. I am disappointed and sad about these two matches.

In the first one [the 5-1 semi-final loss to FC Barcelona] we didn't do anything and I was sad about that. Today we showed what we can do, we started with no fear and we played well. Now we are going to rest and start to work on Wednesday to prepare for the [Portuguese league] play-offs.

Leitão, Sporting double goalscorer
Unfortunately once again my goals were not enough. I will gladly exchange them for a win but it wasn't possible. We fought and we displayed a different side to the one we gave on Friday, and that was the most important thing. The lesson we take from this is that if we play like we did today we will have a lot of chances.

On Friday [against Barcelona] we were a team with a lot of fear, over and above the normal respect shown. Today we played with more freedom and that's the image that we had to give to our fans, to the club and to ourselves. I think we played better than them, and we deserved to win. This defeat and our participation here will, I think, have a positive effect on our performances as we aim for the [Portuguese] title.




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Barcelona celebrate on 'perfect' night

FC Barcelona coach Marc Carmona saluted his players and the team's fans after their 3-1 UEFA Futsal Cup final defeat of MFK Dinamo Moskva, while goalscorer Wilde hailed a "perfect game".

Sunday 29 April 2012

by Dunia Martin Hernández & José Nuno Pimentel from Pavelló Barris Nord

Marc Carmona, Barcelona coach
I feel an immense satisfaction and joy. It is hard to find words. We expected a very even match: both teams are good and have great players, but things went as we thought. The first goal calmed us – it was very important – but Dinamo did not give up and played their game. It was a very tactical match, both teams looking for their opponents' weaknesses. These kinds of matches are not very easy, but you have to win. I think we put on two very complete performances and deserved to win.

Yes, we made club history. I think last year we took a big step [winning their first league title], but this title is the most important; it gives you more prestige. Many people have worked to get here and I dedicate this title to them. The fans were fantastic; that is all I need to say.

Wilde, man of the match and finals top scorer
The team was phenomenal from the start and we played a perfect game against a Dinamo side that’s one of the best clubs in the world. The team are very happy. For me it's a unique feeling because it's my first European title, and I hope to repeat it many times.

Sergio Lozano, Barcelona forward
The team are thrilled. It was something we dreamed about early in the season – to do it in front of our fans. I want to thank them for their support during this game and throughout the season. The truth is that, in difficult times, they made us grow. Being champions of Europe is a great joy.

Overall, these finals were very positive; the team put on good displays in all areas in both games, so we are deserved winners. Tonight we had more chances than them and were very good in defence – that was the key.

Faustino Pérez, Dinamo coach
Barça made good use of our few mistakes and we did not take advantage of theirs. We made it a very tight match, we had many chances and we didn't take them. They had fewer and scored more goals. Despite that, I think they are deserved winners. I congratulate them on doing a great job, having two sensational seasons in which they have won everything. For me, their triumph was fair.

We should not have let that early goal put Barça ahead: they're a team that knows how to handle this type of situation very well. I'm happy because the team did very well throughout the match despite conceding that goal. Once the team had recovered, we had our chances. Congratulations Barça.

Cirilo, Dinamo forward
They started very strongly and managed to score from a set-piece. But I congratulate our team because we fought until the end. We were truly warriors. We knew the troubles that we were going to have here playing away against Barcelona.

With Barcelona being such a great team, we should not have conceded a first goal like that, but once again I still want to give credit to the team. Unfortunately, I haven't had happy experiences playing against Spanish teams [either for my club or the Russian national team]. I hope I can break the spell. For me, it's very sad because I have never won against Spain. I am very annoyed, but now there is nothing else to do but lift our heads up and look forward.



Courtesy: UEFA.com


Futsal crown fits Barcelona nicely

FC Barcelona added the UEFA Futsal Cup to their list of European titles across the sporting spectrum with displays to delight the fans who packed out Lleida's Pavelló Barris Nord.

Monday 30 April 2012

by Paul Saffer from Pavelló Barris Nord

Having already helped Spain win UEFA Futsal EURO 2012 as tournament top scorer, Torras found himself a champion again just two months later after he walked the ball into the goal to clinch FC Barcelona's first UEFA Futsal Cup on Sunday.

Barcelona had stormed through their first European campaign to reach the finals, which they were selected to host in Lleida, ensuring fervent support as they travelled into the heart of Catalonia. They stormed past another famous footballing name, Sporting Clube de Portugal, in the semi-finals and the late Torras strike ensured a 3-1 defeat of 2007 victors MFK Dinamo Moskva not long after the Russian side had pulled a goal back.

It may have been Barça's debut but they did not want for experience. Torras, Gabriel and Javi Rodríguez had all won the trophy before and that trio were among several FIFA Futsal World Cup winners from Spain and Brazil in the squad. And, of course, their club had previously captured European titles in many sports, including, it goes without saying, football.

For both nights of the finals the 5,000-seater Pavelló Barris Nord was packed and rocking, the atmosphere not dampened by Barcelona's surprise UEFA Champions League exit earlier the same week. Coach Marc Carmona said: "I had my doubts about taking the finals here [to Lleida] but they were gone on Friday, and [the final] was especially spectacular. The fans helped us win the cup." His team were masterful in the final from the moment man of the match Wilde shot them ahead in the second minute, a goal made by Lin who was to make it 2-0 not long after the break.

Dinamo's side included several survivors of their triumph in Murcia five years ago while their coach, Faustino Pérez, had led a Playas de Castellón FS team including Rodríguez to the first two UEFA Futsal Cups in 2002 and 2003. Not surprisingly, they did not let the deficit or the atmosphere get to them and pulled a goal back with three minutes left through the experienced Aleksandr Rakhimov. But with Tatù on as flying keeper there was no one to stop Torras when Ari brilliantly kept the ball in play and supplied his team-mate.

Still, it was a fine return to Europe for Dinamo, who had been absent since finishing among the top four for the fifth year running in 2009. They reached the finals with a last-gasp Cirilo goal against Iberia Star Tbilisi – the nearest the only 11-season tournament ever-presents had come to qualifying – and then overcame Italy's Marca Futsal with a clinical display and 3-0 victory in the last four.

Debutants Marca had ousted the holders, their Italian rivals ASD Città di Montesilvano C/5, in the elite round and had the consolation of a penalty shoot-out win for bronze against 2011 runners-up Sporting, themselves beaten 5-1 by Barcelona in the semis. But the trophy itself returned to Spain, Barcelona emulating Pérez's Playas and sole triple champions Interviú Madrid.




Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com