FC Barcelona financial vice-president, Joan Boix, predicted that Barca and Eto`o will have to go to court to settle their dispute.

“We believe we are protected by the law, and we also believe there will be a person who will say that Barca owes Eto`o money. But I think the possibility of Barca losing is very remote,” added Boix.

The Spanish rules state that when a player is transferred to another Spanish team footballer is entitled to 15 percent of the transfer. Still, the rules do not explain what happens if the buyer is a foreign club, as it`s the case with Inter.

“We knew we had an option to pay 15 percent of the transfer to Eto’o, but there is no precedent for the transfer between teams from different leagues and foreign players”, said Boix.

Samuel Eto’o assured that ” Barça is still the best team in the World and it will stay the best until this season is finished, until some other team, or Barça, wins the next Champions league”.

Eto’o referred to reporters questions regarding his duel with Ibrahimovic. “There is no Ibra-Eto’o duel. I wish Ibrahimovic a lot of luck. If he makes it he will make many people happy.  He was expensive, but he`s also one of the best”, noted Eto`o.

“Eto`o has not been given away at all”, assured Laporta and reminded that the sale of the Cameroonian striker was “a result of an agreement between Inter and FC Barcelona, each in their own circumstances. Inter wanted Eto’o and we, advised by the technical secretary, decided that the moment came for Samuel to leave Barca”.

Laporta then used an opportunity to praise the former Barcelona striker: “Eto’o is an example, because he left the club with great elegance and dignity. He has been a player that has given a lot to FC Barcelona”, said Laporta, and admitted: “it wasn`t “at all easy to tell a player such as Eto’o that he no longer has a place in the squad”.

In an interview fro the French TV station “TF1″, Samuel Eto’o stated that the FC Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola, never explained why he was sold to Inter of Milan. “I was expecting to be given some kind of reason why they wanted for me to leave, but I didn`t receive any”.

Speaking on his exit, Samuel Eto continued :”I accepted many things in the past and was willing to accept even more because of my love for the club but this summer was too much.”

“I would never criticize a coach if another player is better than me”, said the Cameroonian, “but what`s most important is what you show in the field and I think I deserved deserved to play every Sunday”.

Samuel Eto’o now expects to impress his new manager, Jose Mourinho. “The coach wanted me for several years. I spoke with it two or three times on telephone and afterwards it was easy for me to take the decision”, assured Eto’o.

When asked about his last month`s statements on Samuel Eto, where he was quoted saying that the Cameroonian sale was a matter of “feeling”, FC Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola answered that he was misquoted:

“Maybe I didn’t explain myself well that day and I`ll try to repeat what I meant to say. It was never a case of “feeling” towards Eto`o. I felt very good working with Samuel both as a footballer and a person.

The “feeling” statement was in reference to my view that it would be wise to change some parts of the squad following the Triplet season. Eto sale was not for personal or football reasons and I always enjoyed working with him”, explained Pep Guardiola.

Valdés representing the goalkeepers, Piqué in defense, Xavi and Iniesta for the midfield and Messi and Eto’o as forwards.

The winner will be announced prior to European Super Cup ceremony in Monte Carlo.

GOALKEEPERS

Petr Cech (Chelsea FC), Víctor Valdés (FC Barcelona), Edwin go der Sar (Manchester United FC)

DEFENDERS

Gerard Piqué (FC Barcelona), John Terry (Chelsea FC), Nemanja Vidic; (Manchester United FC)

MIDFIELDERS

Steven Gerrard (Liverpool FC), Xavi Hernández (FC Barcelona), Andrés Iniesta (FC Barcelona)

FORWARDS

Samuel Eto’o (FC Barcelona), Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona), Christian Ronaldo (Manchester United FC)

In a short interview for the Spanish tv statios “TV3″, Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto’o reflected at his time spent at Barcelona with gratitude:

“Thanks to the fans and my former team-mates, I have been able to live all those dreams and to defend the Barça shirt as if it was my own life. When I signed for Barca I met team-mates, but when I left I was leaving behind friends who I consider my other family.
Despite the rumors about Barcelona fans not wishing me the best, I`d like to use this opportunity to say that this is not true: Barca fans always treated me with affection. I spent 5 seasons at the Camp Nou and the fans booed me only once, and it wasn`t for the football reasons.
I always felt good in Catalonia and some day when I retire, I would like to live between Barcelona and Mallorca”, concluded Eto.

It is time to say goodbye and thank you to Samuel. The Cameroonian striker, came to the club from Mallorca and is now headed for Inter Milan. In his five seasons, he has scored 130 official goals, making him the third highest goalscorer the club has ever had. Only César (235) and Kubala (196) top his record.

Important goals

On an individual level, he was also top league goalscorer in 2005/06.

Setting standards

Samuel Eto’o came to Barça when Frank Rijkaard was manager. He was always a regular starter, playing both midweek and at weekends, and producing a constant flow of goals. He totalled 130 in 200 official outings, and average of 0.65 a match. Whether under Rijkaard or Guardiola, the African was always the main target man for all five years.

Exemplary attitude

His goals were the result of his tremendous attitude. He never stop wanting to win more and more. His winning spirit and the huge demands he made of himself drove him though difficult situations, such as serious injuries that affected his seasons in 2006/07 (when he was injured against Bremen) and 2007/08 (when he was injured in the Gamper, against his future club Inter). But on both occasions he marked his return in the best possible way – by scoring goals.

To bid farewell, he also scored for Barça in the Champions League final and in the last game of the league season, at Riazor. Thank you, Samuel.

(article taken from fcbarcelona official website)

(Source: Sport.es)