Barcelona's Seydou Keita: The road is now rougher for Mali at the 2012 Afcon

A 2-1 victory over Group D's bottom side Botswana was enough to see Mali progress to the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Mogakolodi Ngele gave Stanley Tshosane’s side the lead before Garra Dembele and Seydou Keita scored vital goals to put their team into the quarter-finals. The Barcelona player spoke to Goal.com after the game, and was open about his role in the Malian national team with respect to the criticism he has received of late.

Goal.com: Personally. how do you judge the standard of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations considering the absence of top teams like Cameroon, Nigeria, Egypt and South Africa?

Seydou Keita: It’s okay. It’s competitive. There have been surprises like the unexpected early elimination of Senegal and the exploits of Equatorial Guinea. Don’t listen to those who say this edition is low because those teams didn’t qualify. If they didn’t come that means they are not strong enough to be here this time. Look, the competition starts from the qualifiers and this is the final phase. So those teams began the race but were outrun.

Goal.com: You once left the Mali team and later came back. What’s your new mission?

Keita: That’s what you are seeing. We helped the team to get here and we are pushing on.

Goal.com: But you have been personally criticised back in Mali and beyond for not doing enough during your side’s first two games, especially against Ghana. A Bamako-based journalist even said, I quote: ‘Seydou Keita was transparent in the Ghana-Mali match. We can’t tell what is happening to him in the competition.’ What’s happening to you?

Keita: (Laughs) Nothing. I’m doing my best. I’m organising, inspiring and pushing the team. Those critics seem not to know the role I play in a match, even with Barcelona.

Goal.com: Tell them.                                           

Keita: (Laugh) I balance constructions in the midfield, which means monitoring the flow of passes from the back and forth and vice versa while watching and checking the counter movement of balls across the same routes from the adversary team. I know they want to see me score goals like today, but it’s about team work and what matters is victory.

Goal.com: You have qualified for the quarter-finals and you will meet Gabon next. What are you guys planning to do against the host team?

Keita: We are planning to play against them, but I must confess to you that it’s going to be a tough match. Gabon will be playing at home before some 40,000 supporters. They defeated two top favourites of the tournament – Morocco and Tunisia – to lead their group. We will surely be playing like we’ve got nothing to lose. I think that should be the best option for now to ease the tension and pressure on us because the road is now rougher.

Goal.com: The tournament will end in 11 days and you will head for Camp Nou, do you plan to stay or leave during the transfer window or sometime before the end of your renewed contract of 2014?

Keita: I can’t really tell for now. I love Barca. It’s my home. I made my football there.

Goal.com: Like many others too, but they left after that, will you?

Keita: I’d have loved to give you an answer if I had one.