Thuram's kids delighted with Barca move

Thuram's kids delighted with Barca move

BARCELONA, (AFP) - While France defender Liliam Thuram is overjoyed with his move from Juventus to Barcelona, it is his children who are most pleased, the 34-year-old said Wednesday.

That is because they will now get to watch their heroes Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto'o at first hand week in, week out.

"They are happy I am playing for Barcelona because they will be able to watch Ronaldinho and Eto'o," Thuram told the Barcelona website.

It will not be the first time the children have seen the stars, having attended last season's Champions League final which Barcelona won 2-1 against Arsenal.

"I went to see the Champions League final with my children and I really enjoyed watching Barca play - they are a great team," added Thuram.

Thuram has signed a two-year deal with the Spanish and European champions having left Juve in the wake of the Italian giants' relegation over a match-fixing scandal.

"I am very happy to join Barcelona because for a footballer, there is no-one better than Barca, they are one of the best teams in the world.

"I will do everything, like at the beginning of my career, to realise the highest expectations."

Thuram has had a high opinion of the Catalan club ever since his first competitive brush with Barca as a player for Monaco in the 1993-94 Champions League.

"I was a kid. I was 20 or 21 years old. The Barca coach was (Johan) Cruyff and I had to mark (Brazilian legend) Romario," said the Guadeloupe-born centre-back.

"I also remember (Michael) Laudrup, (Pep) Guardiola and (Ronald) Koeman, and at the end of the match I said to myself that we were not playing the same game. They were playing football and me, I was playing another sport."