A happier, more vibrant and confident Frank Rijkaard meets the press.


After securing his second victory in the La Liga this season, FC Barcelona's coach Frank Rijkaard has confessed he's overwhelmingly happy and bedazzled by the magic of Lionel Messi, while saying that Barca were the better side for the night and roundly deserved their victory. The coach spoke at a post match press conference after the FC Barcelona - Sevilla match at Camp Nou, in which Barca won 2-1 and propelled itself to second position on the La Liga table, one point behind League leaders Real Madrid. Frank Rijkaard said:

We played better and we deserved to win. This is a very important victory against a very strong rival and moreso, a formidable rival.

Rijkaard praised his players for the evening, showing gratitude to them all, and singling out man of the match, Lionel Messi and the stabilizer, Toure Yaya for special praise:

Messi is playing at a very high level and is currently in breath-taking form. I appreciate the fact that he remembered a friend when celebrating his goal as he dedicated his first goal to Ronaldinho. It shows great companionship because when you score, you usually think only about celebrating. To immediately dedicate it to a team mate is what I really admire. Toure Yaya is a great player. He has great tactical discipline. He is intelligent and always aware, being conscious of what is happening on the field, and can make life difficult for the creative players of the opposing team.

On the latest news being marketed by the press which is accusing Rijkaard and the rest of the FC Barcelona administration of covering up something else other than an injury for the absence of super star Ronaldinho, the Dutchman says:

I am very calm about the rumours suggesting that I dropped Ronaldinho for reasons other than his injury. I know such rumours hold no truth, so I'm not worried and neither is Ronaldinho.