Balde, Gerard Martin react after Barcelona 2-0 Osasuna: ‘A very tough match’ | OneFootball

It was not easy for Barcelona to take all three points against Osasuna last night, but the Catalans fought through the adversity with dominance to break free and find the opener.

Raphinha stepped up with the clutch goal with just 20 minutes to go, sending the team into a relatively calmer state of mind. His second goal which came close to the end of the game eventually sealed the result in their favour.

Yet, the result went on to show that Barcelona still have a lot to work on in terms of breaking down compact defences – something they will face very regularly in the months to come.

Balde’s views

Alejandro Balde faced the media after the game and opened up on the tough match against Deportivo Alaves and all the challenges that came with it.

“Yes, the truth is that it was a very tough match. They have a very strong defensive block, but with patience, as I said, we managed to score two goals, and we are happy with the team’s work and with the victory.”

“Yes, in the end it was hard to create chances because they were so well-organized defensively and there weren’t many spaces, but in the end and with a lot of patience we were able to find the solutions and score two goals,” he added.

Balde was then asked what Hansi Flick’s message to the dressing room was after the game, to which he said,

“The same thing, patience, and that the opportunity would come, and that’s exactly what happened.”

The player then showered praise on the goalscorer on the night – Raphinha.

“Having Rafa with us is a huge pleasure, especially for the young players, because he always offers a lot of advice. I’m really happy for him, as he’s come back in excellent form after his injury.”

The left-back also expressed his pleasure over having kept a clean sheet, which was the team’s first in six games.

“Yes, we’re very happy with the defensive work. Winning while keeping a clean sheet is a great feeling and makes us leave the match very happy.”

He also praised Joan Garcia for the goalkeeper that he is and the sense of security his presence brings.

“I think he is currently one of the best goalkeepers in the world. His level is amazing, and despite his young age, he is a very excellent player, and we are very happy to have him with us.”

Speaking on the gap now established between the Catalans and their competitors, Balde refused to read too much into the false sense of security.

“Yes, you always feel calmer when you win and play before the others, but we have to focus on ourselves and take the matches one by one.”

Finally, he spoke on Ferran Torres’ disallowed goal and whether he had seen the clip of the marginal offside on the short corner.

“Sometimes they show it on the big screen in the corridors, but I didn’t see the clip clearly, and I think it was by a very slight margin… The shoe!”

“Bad luck, but we have to forget the clip quickly and try to score more goals,” he added.

Gerard Martin speaks

Gerard Martin is making a strong case to be a regular starter. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

The next player to speak to the media was Gerard Martin who merited serious praise from the manager in his post-game press conference.

“It was a very tough match, we needed a lot of patience, a lot of ball circulation, and in the end we suffered, but we finished the match with a win,” he began on the game.

“During the break, we knew we weren’t doing things in the best way, despite having the ball; we had to circulate it faster and look for more numerical superiority on the flanks, and in the second half we improved that,” he added on what changed after the break.

Speaking on the disallowed goal in the first half, the player revealed that he did not get a chance to watch the clip again.

“No, honestly we didn’t watch it. Yes, there were some questions, but honestly, I didn’t understand much of what happened.”

Martin was then asked what the team did better after the break to finally break the deadlock, and he said,

“What I said earlier, seeking superiority on the flanks, circulating the ball more, showing more patience, because sometimes we were getting stuck too much on one side and we needed to switch play more.”

“In the end, it’s clear that when you’re near the penalty area you get chances, and in the end we scored,” he added.

Finally, the youngster was asked what it meant to receive so much love from fans in the stands who now cheer his contributions.

“It means a lot to me, because in the end I’ve worked really hard to get here, and the journey is tough, but I’m so happy to see that your club’s fans reward you when you do things well, and I’m really happy about that.”

Source: Barça One