Piqué: 'Our first objective is La Liga'

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida — FC Barcelona center back Gerard Piqué and the new signing Junior Firpo appeared before the media at Hard Rock Stadium on Tuesday evening, one day before Barça and Napoli go head to head here in the first of two friendlies between the European clubs this week on U.S. soil.

Here are the highlights of what they had to say.

Gerard Piqué

"La Liga is our first objective and it is the competition that determines whether you've had a successful season."

"We have to aim to win everything but we also have to keep our feet on the ground and control our expectations."

"Last season was good with another league crown, but the expectations that had been created gave the fans a bittersweet feeling."

"What happened against Liverpool has to be an added motivation for us."

"[Griezmann] is a great player and it is great news to have him with us. We hope he adapts well and can help us win games."

"We want [Messi] to recover as soon as possible. The schedule does not help. We have less vacation time, the competitions start sooner and the seasons end later, and an injury at the start of the season can leave you out for a few games."

"[Neymar] is a great player who knows the dressing room, the city, and the Club. There were people who were unhappy when he left, but there were many people who were very satisfied with his performance at Barça. It is a very complicated transaction and it is he who must decide what he wants to do."

"Our new additions have made us better. The team we have now is good enough to opt for every title."

Junior Firpo

"I have had a great welcome."

"I am very happy about how the players have been to me."

"Jordi Alba is one of the best in the world and I know that competing with him is very difficult. I will learn a lot from him and I will try to make the coach's decision a difficult one."