Barcelona's Van Gaal hits back: Figo never saved my ass

Barcelona trainer Louis van Gaal has hit back at Luis Figo's claims that he saved the Dutchman's "ass" many times when he was a Barca player.

"Figo only made more work for me," insisted Van Gaal last night.

"He didn't save my ass, I had to protect the image of the club while he was here."

Van Gaal also rounded on the local Catalan media, claiming they were more supportive of Real Madrid than Barcelona.

"The Barcelona press defends less its own team than the one in Madrid."

"I now am a false person, a coward, when the most important matter of that game (against Real) was that we had a legitimate goal disallowed."