“我認為西班牙表現很出色，我們一起贏得了三場比賽，這有助於增強我們的自信心，但現在我們到了一個決定性的階段。淘汰賽，你必須非常謹慎，一個失誤就可能出局。”
“我非常崇敬法國隊，小組賽已顯示出這是一個強大的對手，現在的問題是我們怎麼踢。我們知道我們能踢好比賽。”
“沒有比這更好的情況了，我們是一個團結一致的整體，這非常重要，誰上場誰替補沒有任何問題，這就是我們所認可的團隊精神。”
鏈結：http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/060625/1/88d8.html
原文：Puyol: Teamwork is the key
Safely ensconced at their base camp in Kamen, Spain are busy plotting the downfall of the French in their Round of 16 tie. Having been rested for the final group game against Saudi Arabia, Luis Aragones's first-team players will go into the game in Hanover somewhat fresher than their opponents on Tuesday.
One of the men to benefit from a well-deserved day off was central defender Carles Puyol, who looked on from the bench as the second-string finally got a taste of the action against Saudi Arabia. “They’re all very young but have got a lot of experience behind them having played some crucial games with their clubs,” said Puyol approvingly. “I thought they performed well and their presence here is vital to the team as a whole.”
“I think Spain have produced some excellent performances,” added the man who led his club, Barcelona, to the Spanish league and UEFA Champions League titles earlier this year. “We’ve strung together three wins, which has really helped build up confidence, but we’ve now reached a decisive phase. You’ve got to be so careful in the knockout rounds, one slip and before you know it you’re out.”
Somewhere over the Pyrenees
Tuesday’s encounter pits together two sides who know each other very well. Historically it is the French who have the edge, famously beating their neighbours 2-0 in the final of the 1984 UEFA European Championship, and also prevailing in the teams' last meeting. That was in the same competition six years ago, when Raul skied a late penalty as Spain went down 2-1 in the quarter-finals.
Aragones's men may be talking a cautious game, but hopes are high within the camp of avenging past defeats. “I’ve got an awful lot of respect for France and there are no easy rivals, as this tournament has already shown,” Puyol remarked. “What matters is how we play. We know we can play good football and that’s what we always set out to do.”
Following a string of less-than-impressive warm-up games, Spain have earned rave reviews for their performances at Germany 2006. “I thought we were excellent in our first game (against Ukraine), and in the second half against Tunisia,” said Puyol. “The Saudi Arabia match was far from easy. The pitch was very dry and we found it hard to get our passing game going, mainly because the ball wouldn’t run and they were very compact. We played well all the same, and we’ve got a lot of confidence in ourselves.”
Old heads on young shoulders
Aragones has slowly but surely forged a young, new-look team, one that contains only six veterans of Korea/Japan 2002, Puyol among them. “Everything’s going well,” he said. “All the players want to be here, and those of us lucky enough to have made it have got to profit from this opportunity and enjoy it at the same time.”
At the age of 28, the indispensable centre-half is one of the team’s elder statesman and is highly appreciative of the contribution being made by the young guns. “We’re all excited about it,” confided the Barcelona man, “but the youngsters most of all. They’ve got bags of quality and are playing superbly. They’re here on merit and because they’ve got valuable things to offer to the squad.”
Since settling into the post, the venerable Aragones has constantly underlined the importance not just of team spirit, but of the need for the fans to get right behind the team and the players to give their all. With optimism high among Spanish supporters following that dazzling 4-0 start against Ukraine, and the players seemingly more united than ever, the much-travelled coach appears to have succeeded on all those fronts.
“Things couldn’t be going better,” concluded Puyol. “We’ve got a close-knit squad, which is the most important thing, and it doesn’t matter who comes in or who goes out ? it’s the team ethic that counts.”
作者--楊瓊華
責編：佟杉杉