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21.01.2009 23:58
Guardiola: “We must be attentive in the second leg”
Anna Segura
Guardiola recognised after the goalless draw against Espanyol that an away goal would have been good but “that we will have to be attentive in the second leg” and he congratulated his players for the “way that they played”.
The Copa del Rey quarter final, first leg encounter in Montjuïc was not easy, as Guardiola predicted after seeing the Blanc i Blau change their coach this week. For that reason, he stated that he would have preferred to play the game a week later so that he would know more about the opposition.
Congratulating the team
“It was a complicated game against asn intense side who were strong and I think we played well,” Guardiola stated. “Now we will see what happens next week in Camp Nou.”
Indecisive result
“It is not a bad result, but is also not great. In the
cup it is good to score away from home and have done that. We are now obliged to be attentive in
the second leg,” the coach continued. One of the main reasons that his team did not score was
that “we have not managed to find a way through or to connect in midfield”, he added.
Many interruptions
“When you are forced to play at the back you have to play long balls and then things become more a question of chance,” Guardiola explained. “There were a lot of interruptions that did not help us and meant that we could not find our rhythm of play.”
Eto'o “an example”
Asked about the incident in training on Tuesday with Samuel Eto'o, as reported some media outlets, Guardiola said that he would not comment on it. “Eto'o is an example of how to train and carry yourself,” he did comment. “Those things happen and they will remain in house.”
Laporta: “The second leg will be decisive”
FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta said after the goalless draw that he felt that the
“result was fair and it has been a game where both sides worked very hard”. The
Blaugrana supremo believes that for Espanyol “the factor of a new coach has meant that the
lifted their game. They fought, but we did well too and I feel that the game in Camp Nou will be
decisive”. In that sense, Laporta knows that the second leg will produce a winner. “The
tie is open and we need Camp Nou to be full because it will be difficult. We have confidence in our
fans and the second leg will show whether or not this first game was a good result or not.”
Laporta then congratulated the fans for creating a good atmosphere for the game. “There was great sportsmanship and is has been a good show of public spiritedness,” he said. “As Catalans we put on a good game of football and everyone has to be congratulted, especially the work done by the security staff.”
Laporta then congratulated the fans for creating a good atmosphere for the game. “There was great sportsmanship and is has been a good show of public spiritedness,” he said. “As Catalans we put on a good game of football and everyone has to be congratulted, especially the work done by the security staff.”
