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Setien shrugs off Champions League pressure as Busquets backs under fire coach

RE-SENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

VIDEO SHOWS: BARCELONA FC SQUAD AT TRAINING SESSION, COMMENTS FROM MIDFIELDER AND VICE CAPTAIN SERGIO BUSQUETS AND BARCELONA FC COACH QUIQUE SETIEN

SHOWS:

BARCELONA, SPAIN (AUGUST 7, 2020) (BARÇA TV HANDOUT - DO NOT OBSCURE LOGO)

1. GERARD PIQUE, LIONEL MESSI AND LUIS SUAREZ WALKING ON PITCH

2. PLAYERS ON PITCH

3. MESSI ON PITCH WITH TEAMMATES

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA FC MIDFIELDER AND SECOND CAPTAIN SERGIO BUSQUETS SAYING (ON WHETHER MEETING BETWEEN MESSI AND SETIEN HAS BEEN A TURNING POINT):

"Everything that is talked about in the lockerroom to improve things is welcome. As I said before, these weeks of training have been good to allow us to train better physically, to analyse the match better tactically, to know our opponent, so we hope this bears its fruits tomorrow. It's an important game, it's like a knockout phase."

5. PLAYERS ON PITCH WARMING UP

6. FORWARD ANTOINE GRIEZMANN WARMING UP WITH TEAMMATES

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA FC MIDFIELDER AND SECOND CAPTAIN SERGIO BUSQUETS SAYING (ON WHETHER SETIEN SHOULD CONTINUE AS COACH):

"Like you say it is totally the club's decision. Players have to be on the margin of that. We have to concentrate on what happens on the pitch and that Setien stays on hopefully will mean that the club has done a great job and will be able to win the tournament that is left. But, this is something that should not worry us. The game against Naples is the most important thing we have now."

8. PLAYERS ON PITCH

9. COACH QUIQUE SETIEN WEARING FACE MASK TALKING TO OUSMANE DEMBELE AS HE WARMS UP

10. PLAYER WARMING UP

11. SETIEN DRIBBLING BALL

12. (SOUNDBITE) (Catalan) BARCELONA FC MIDFIELDER AND SECOND CAPTAIN SERGIO BUSQUETS SAYING (ON ARTHUR MELO'S NOT RETURNING):

"It has been a difficult situation and in the end the only ones who know the truth are the player and the club. The season and the market have left things like that, transfers before their time. We know that he didn't come back but we know he will. We want as little noise about this. It was a surprise for everyone. We hope that for everyone's benefit they reach an agreement and it's all for the best."

13. VARIOUS OF PLAYERS WARMING UP

14. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA FC COACH QUIQUE SETIEN SAYING (ON WHETHER THIS COULD BE SETIEN'S LAST MATCH WITH BARÇA):

"(laughs) Why did I know you would ask me this question? (laughs) Let's see, the reality is the possibility this could be my last match has not crossed my mind at any point. I am absolutely calm, we have consciously prepared the game thinking that we will continue and that we will be able to go to he finals in Portugal with the same energy and desire that I have and everyone has, really."

15. VARIOUS OF PLAYERS TRAINING

16. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA FC COACH QUIQUE SETIEN SAYING (ON ARTHUR MELO):

"I spoke to him before he left, like with all of them, and the truth is I haven't spoken to him since. Everything I have learned since has been through the club and it's a situation that evidently is beyond my role. It's behaviour that I would have liked to be different, but I can't say more."

17. VARIOUS PLAYERS TRAINING

18. GOALKEEPERS TRAINING

19. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA FC COACH QUIQUE SETIEN SAYING (ON NAPOLI):

"I think they have improved many aspects, they have been making progress... Gattuso, even though you say it is a defensive team I think it's the team that has had most possession, if not one of them, in Serie A. It's a team that right now defends very well when it has to and also knows how to attack causing damage. We have studied them in depth and have seen lots of situations and we will try to minimize that potential and their great form. We will try to be protagonists and force them to defend as much as possible because at the front there are players who can also cause great harm. They have really good player. We are up against a great team."

20. VARIOUS OF GOALKEEPERS TRAINING

21. VARIOUS OF PLAYERS TRAINING

STORY: Barcelona's midfielder Sergio Busquets welcome the meeting between coach Quique Setien and Lionel Messi on Friday (August 8) saying anything that improved the team was good.

"Everything that is talked about in the lockerroom to improve things is welcome," he said repsonding to journalist who asked whether the meeting had been a turning in the team's attitude.

Calling his side "weak", "inconsistent" and "very easy to score against", the Argentine called for urgent changes after surrendering the league title to Real Madrid, saying it was no good to use their rivals' relentless form as an excuse.

Messi's words were a particularly scathing statement of the reign of coach Quique Setien, who was appointed in January after the club sacked Ernesto Valverde when they were top of the table on goal difference.

Quique Setien said on Friday he is not worried that Saturday's (August 8) Champions League last-16 second leg at home to Napoli could be his last game in charge of the team.

Setien, 61, saw his side surrender the Spanish title to Real Madrid last month, while the tie with Napoli is on a knife edge after the 1-1 draw in Italy back in February.

Barca have not been eliminated at the last 16 stage since 2007 and their desperation to win a first European crown since 2015 led to them sacking Ernesto Valverde in January. But the coach said he did not think his future hinged on the game.

"At no point has the thought that tomorrow could be my last game passed through my head, we have prepared this game thinking that me and my coaching staff are going to continue," Setien told a news conference on Friday.

Barca will be without midfield duo Sergio Busquets and Arturo Vidal but Antoine Griezmann and Frenkie de Jong have recovered from injury, as well as defenders Clement Lenglet and Ronald Araujo.

Ousmane Dembele, however, is still out despite returning to training after six months away, while Juventus-bound Arthur Melo has been left out after failing to report for training.

Lionel Messi and defender Nelson Semedo, meanwhile, will play with the knowledge a yellow card would see them suspended from their quarter-final match if the team progresses to the last eight tournament in Lisbon, which starts next week.

(Production: Catherine Macdonald)