That's how I read it too. People's quotes are generally manipulated no end by the media.
For example, imagine you're Fabregas, and you're talking to a reporter. He asks you whether you think Arsenal can still catch the leaders. You want to be positive, so you say something about there being many months left in the season, and that the team's been playing well recently, and that you hope to give Man Utd and Chelsea a run yet. Nothing bad there, right?
Next day, back page of some piece of shit paper, something like this:
http://www.itv.com/news/index_d1c039319eccc9b707852a9889098cbc.html
All spin, my friends.