Barcelona captain Lionel Messi speaks:
“A special trophy”:“I’m really happy to have won this trophy.
The Copa del Rey has been really tough for us this season. It’s always special to lift a trophy. It’s a happy day, this group deserved this moment of joy.
It’s special being captain of this club, of this team. It’s a special trophy to get your hands on.
“Patience:” We knew that Athletic always play the same way. We showed patience with the ball.
Eager to add LaLiga title to the Copa:“I’m sure the fans at home will be happy. It’s been a difficult year. Now we have to keep on fighting for the league title.
It’s been an unusual year, one of transition. We found it hard to get going, we dropped points through naivety.
We’ve got ourselves into the race now, though, and there are still a number of games to go. We have to give it everything we have right to the end.”
