Bravo eager to get back to action

Claudio Bravo, who has been out injured since the game with Málaga, appeared at a promotional event in Barcelona on Thursday. The Chilean used the occasion to speak to the press, explaining that “I’m feeling comfortable. I’m fine and looking forward to training normally again.”

“My career has not been affected by any serious injuries and that’s a good thing” he continued. “But I need to stay calm because it’s important to make sure that you make a proper recovery, especially when you play in a position like mine.”

Following the game with Roma on Wednesday, Rafinha’s name is now on the injury list along with that of the Barça goalkeeper. “I’ve been injured for a few days so I know how tough it can feel” said Bravo. “Injuries are very dark periods for any footballer.”

Here are some of the other comments that Claudio Bravo made on Thursday:

On the Champions League debut

“What we are left with is the result and not the idea of how we played. But we were very solid in every sense, especially when we had the ball”.

On Florenzi’s goal

“It was a great goal. Barça goalkeepers play a different way to other keepers. We come further off our line, but that does mean there’s a greater risk. Málaga very nearly scored a very similar kind of goal against me”.

“We goalies know that we’re always going to have to deal with criticism. It is something we have been used to since we were kids. We’re pretty tough skinned in that respect. Especially at a club like this. These things happen and we just have to get used to them”.

On the possible penalty on Luis Suárez

“It is much easier to see things from outside, but the panorama is very different out there on the pitch. It was a clear penalty but you have to think about the tension the referee was facing. That was the kind of thing that can get given in any game, but you have to put yourself in the referee’s skin”.

On objectives

“Winning the Champions League two times in a row is quite a challenge. But there are the other competitions to think about too. We have to take things step by step”.

“It won’t be easy to win the treble again but it can be done. Last year, the squad was united and we managed to achieve things that are by no means easy”.

On his role at Barça

“It is very hard to forget Valdés. When I was playing for Real Sociedad it was never easy to play against Barça. And now here I am in a very special goal and it’s a difficult challenge. We should remember Valdés. He had a great career here and won everything. He is a goalkeeper that should always be remembered”.

On Leo Messi

“It’s fantastic to have Messi as a team-mate. He is a very special player on the pitch and it’s very important for all of us to have him in the team”.