Rijkaard to ring changes
Afp, Madrid
Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard on Saturday promised to bring new blood into the Catalan side next season after the league leaders' humiliating Spanish Cup semifinal exit to Getafe during the week. The Dutch coach believes that the reigning Spanish champions need fresh talent. "How long can a team maintain their top level? You can be three or four years at the top level. This team has resisted well but we have to look at changing to stay at the top," said Rijkaard, whose side are just two points ahead of Real Madrid with five games to play. "Most of the team managed to achieve great things. At certain times practically everyone was talking about Barca, which proves that the players achieved something. "But that's the past and now we have to give everything to finish the championship as best we can." Rijkaard admitted that the 4-0 loss Thursday night to Getafe had been tough, particularly as their rivals had been trailing 3-2 from the first leg. "It was one of the most difficult nights of my life, to lose in such a humiliating way, neither myself or the team were capable of getting into the match," he added.
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