Guardiola calls for caution
27.04.2011 23:58
Vanessa Forns
Josep Guardiola refused to comment on either the referee’s performance or Mourinho’s declarations after the game, preferring to focus on his team’s play, whilst insisting that the 0-2 win by no means guarantees the trip to Wembley.
The boss is well aware that Madrid won’t come to the Nou Camp next week and meekly lie down and die: “they are a club with 9 European Cups to their name and they never admit a game is lost till it’s over. I’ve seen them many times, as a kid, as a player and as a manager and they never give up. We now need to recover our strength, emotionally and tactically”, for next week’s game.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves”
Guardiola called for caution and prudence from the fans, the Club and the players: “I’m asking everyone not to fall into the trap of thinking that we have won something which we still have to compete for-let’s not get ahead of ourselves and mix up our desire to get to Wembley with the fact we aren’t there yet. We’ve won the first leg 0-2, but not the final. Nine European Cups –that says it all. We now have to control the atmosphere”.
Congratulations to the players
The boss was also pleased with his team’s performance: “we played a very good game against 11 and then against 10. We controlled the danger of their counter attacks and their aerial threat. We won the game by our control and waiting for Leo to make the difference. It was a good result and I want to congratulate my team a lot”.
Praise for Messi
Pep went on to stress the importance of Messi’s role in the game: “it’s not the first time he’s done this, we are so lucky to have him. He’s only 23 and he’s now the third leading scorer at the Club, with its long, long history. That says it all. It’s incredible, that’s what is beautiful about our game and our football”.
Mourinho’s comments
Guardiola was asked what he thought of Mourinho’s post match comments and simply said “nothing”. He also refused to speak about the referee’s performance.
Bartomeu: “it’s a big step, but the tie isn’t over yet”
The Club’s first Vice President Josep Maria Bartomeu was visibly satisfied with the team’s win, but whilst claiming: “this is a big step”, he also warned: “the tie isn’t over yet”.
Bartomeu claimed the team’s performance was: “splendid. We came with ambition, with the aim of getting a win and that’s what we did. We did our talking on the pitch, which is what we know how to do best and we will show the same ambition at the Nou Camp next week as we did at the Bernabeu tonight”.
Credit: FC Barcelona (www.fcbarcelona.com)
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