Shakhtar coach believes Barcelona strongest team in football historyApril 6, 2011 - 14:14 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Ahead of the Shakhtar’s away game vs Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-final first leg match, the Pitmen’s tactician Mircea Lucescu spoke to journalists at the pre-match press conference. Commenting on the oncoming game, he said, “I played a lot of games against Barcelona. The first time I faced Barca was during my spell at Galatasaray. In that game we were 2:0 up before half-time and in the second period our player was sent off, with Barca going on to draw level. In 2004 and 2008, there were two matches involving Shakhtar Donetsk. To date, Guardiola is one of the best coaches in the world, and I respect him very much. Barcelona players are very skilful. Barca are a team streamlined to perfection in every aspect of their game. Barca players have been playing together for many years, starting from the club's youth ranks. In turn, our team comprise technical and very pacey players who have always proved to be a threat to Barcelona. Therefore, we will be trying to create problems for our opponents tomorrow as well. Obviously, I want this game to end with a score that would enable us to make it through to the semi-finals. In Donetsk, we tend to play very well.” “I perfectly understand that we are about to play against a very strong team, but I believe in my players and I am sure that tomorrow they will show a decent game. By studying the opponent, I have come to a conclusion that the current Barcelona are the strongest team in the history of football,” Shakhtar website quoted Lucescu as saying. Top stories Armenian gymnast, Olympic bronze medalist Artur Davtyan has reached the finals of the World Cup. Gor Manvelyan has denied reports alleging that he has expressed a desire to one day play for the French national team. Roma midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is not considering FC Spartak Moscow as his next haven, according to fresh reports. 10 Armenian lifters will compete in the 2021 World Championships scheduled to be held from 7 to 17 December in Tashkent. Partner news | Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan. Lemkin Institue slams Pashinyan's “cryptic engagement with Genocide denial” The Lemkin Institute is alarmed over Pashinyan’s statements “questioning Armenia's legal basis to pursue justice against Turkey”. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. |