Setien talks Dembele, Trincao and Vidal ahead of Levante

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The latest from the Barcelona boss

Quique Setien faced the press on Saturday ahead of Barcelona’s La Liga clash with Levante at the Camp Nou on Sunday.

The Barcelona boss spoke about the January transfer window, Ousmane Dembele’s fitness, Arturo Vidal missing training and the chances of the team winning the Champions League.

Here are the best bits:

Setien on Levante

Levante are not on a very good run of results. They’re an uncomfortable team to play against. They can cause you danger, a team we really have to worry about because they’ve really strong forwards, they play the ball around very nicely. If they’re inspired then they’re very hard to play against.

Setien on Dembele

It would be premature for Dembele to play [against Levante]. We will see for the following matches, but we will not accelerate his return.

Setien on Barca’s January exits

We have fewer player but I repeat that there is a B team behind us and the kids are ready. Today some kids have come to train who had not come so far and we’re getting a chance to look at them. What we do know is that we are going to make an extraordinary signing with Ousmane. It’s a huge incentive.

Setien on signing Francisco Trincao

It’s a deal I found out about when I came because the club were working on it. I don’t have much to say about it. Next year we’ll count on him and work with him.

Setien on Barca’s away form

Our away form is something we need to work on. We need to change our flow away from home. We need to work out what it is we are doing right at home and wrong away, and we’ve got two games we can work on that. They’ll be two very intense games, and a win tomorrow would be a huge boost for morale going into those two fixtures.

Setien on Arturo Vidal missing training

It is not serious. There is a bruise and let’s see how it evolves. I am not in favour of taking risks with players because there are many games and we do not have a very large squad.

Setien on Barca winning the Champions League

If I were the opponents I would certainly not rule Barça out at all. You can always have a bad day. Of the six or eight teams that aspire to win the Champions League, only one will. The reality is that we are going to be there. We’re excited, we have a chance, like all the other big teams do. No more or less than any of those.

Source: barcablaugranes.com