Barcelona vs Levante preview - Villa happy at Nou Camp

Posted Saturday, December 03, 2011 by PA

Barcelona striker David Villa insists he is content in Catalonia despite recent reports of unrest.

The former Valencia forward has endured a somewhat difficult start to the Primera Division campaign and trails his rivals by some distance in the goalscoring charts having scored just five times.

He has also been dogged by suggestions there is a rift between himself and fellow forward Lionel Messi, with the Spain international supposedly marginalised by Messi's influence.

However, Villa scored one of his five goals in the 4-0 midweek destruction of Rayo Vallecano and, speaking ahead of the visit of Levante, insists all is well at Camp Nou.

"I feel important, and even more so when the manager speaks well of me," Villa said in response to praise from Pep Guardiola this week.

"I've always had the affection of team-mates and especially the public. I noticed it since the day I arrived. So it's not vital that I score.

"I don't give any importance to what is said outside the club. I don't have to be worried about all of this, it's all the same to me. I work so that the manager, my colleagues, the fans and my family are happy, and that's the case."

Much is made of Villa's role within the Barca system, with the striker normally deployed wide on the left, but he is reluctant to over-analyse tactics.

"I'm playing in the same positions as last season, but sometimes within different systems," he said. "I've played on the left, sometimes on the right, and recently down the middle, and I'm happy in all of them.

"We are a team with lots of players in front of the ball, we have loads of options. There's only one ball and we can't all receive it. When I don't get it, I try to create space for others."

While Barca look to play themselves into form ahead of next week's Clasico against Madrid, Levante are looking to justify their lofty fourth place after seeing their blistering start to the season tail off.

Levante had slipped to three consecutive defeats after a superb opening two months, but bounced back with a 4-0 battering of Sporting Gijon last weekend. Left-back Juanfran could be available after knee trouble but may not force out Asier Del Horno.

Barca are without the suspended Gerard Pique, whose timely ban means he will be available to face Madrid, and the injured Adriano (thigh).

Levante boss Juan Ignacio Martinez admits there is no guaranteed tactic to stop Barca.

"If you stop Messi then you leave someone else free," he said in quotes reported by Marca. "We must stick together, be supportive of each other and pray a lot!."