Rafa said: "We were the best team in Europe last season. After the qualification stages for the knock-out rounds we improved with every match. People asked me what our secret was. There was no secret. We had good players and we approached every game with a good attitude. We were good last year but we are better this year."
"We have a better squad and we can change players for different games and even during games. We are creating chances and we are scoring goals. The tactics that we employ are very similar to last season and the four players we have signed have made us a better team."
And Rafa was in buoyant mood prior to final Champions League group match against Chelsea tomorrow.
"As a player you want to win every game. As a manager you want to win every game but you must also look ahead and think about your season. The match against Middlesbrough is more important than the game against Chelsea. We want to win the game and finish top of the group but this is not the most important game of the season for us."