Barcelona goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto says the club’s La Liga challenge is not over, despite lying seven points behind leaders Real Madrid.
Pinto, who was in goal as Barca knocked Real out of the Copa del Rey last week, insisted his team are confident they can claim a fourth consecutive La Liga crown this season.
“We think we can win coming from behind,” Pinto said ahead of Barcelona’s Copa del Rey semi-final first leg against Valencia on Wednesday.
“The most important thing is that we remain united and carry on doing what we have been doing.”
“We have tremendous desire and so we won’t be giving up.”
Alongside the Spanish league and Cup competitions, Barcelona are also involved in the knockout stages of the Champions League and Pinto maintains the Catalan giants will thrive in all three competitions.
“We are going to continue to fight in all three competitions,” the 36-year-old said.
“This is not the first time this team has shown its determination.”
“The feeling inside the dressing room is one of self belief and of confidence and to be honest what is being said outside, for example in the media and what other people say, is not really important because they are not a part of the team.”
“We are all helping each other and we have belief in ourselves.”
“Every day we feel this support and so inside the dressing room everything is calm because we believe anything is possible.”
Pinto said Barca could cope with injuries to players like midfielder Andreas Iniesta, who suffered a thigh injury against Real, because of the depth of their squad.
“The injuries we have will have an impact because to say otherwise is to say that a player like Iniesta is not important,” Pinto said.
“But it is also clear that we don’t turn to the reserve players as a sort of last option, because we have said that from the beginning they are a part of the squad.”
“They have been since the season started.”
“This has been the case with all the players who have come through the youth team as it was with Sergio Busquets, Pedro and Thiago.”
