FCBARCELONA.CAT

03.04.2009 14:52

“We are fortunate to be where we are”

Jordi Clos

Pep Guardiola was in confident mood as he looked ahead to the next eight weeks of the season and placed the emphasis on just how important he believes the next game against Real Valladolid will be.

The Barça coach had two clear messages in the press conference on Friday. The first was that FC Barcelona are in a privileged position going into the last two months of the campaign and, second, that there is not game more important than the next one. In this case, the trip to the Jose Zorilla was the focus of Guardiola’s attention.

A decisive run

“We are fortunate to be where we are,” he said. “What we have done is marvelous and when it is so close there is no tiredness.” Barça have their international players back after the break and Guardiola said that “things start to be decisive now” and that “we have to keep aiming for a trophy or we will end up with nothing”.
Valladolid first

Barça’s first game in the run-in to the end of the season is against Real Valladolid on Saturday. The Blaugrana coach maintained the same line that he has had all season. “The next game is the most important,” he stated. “I will never name any team with the game after in mind. I do not want to see anyone saying that the game against Bayern Munich is more important than the one against Valladolid.”

“We need to be mentally strong and not think about the game against Bayern,” Guardiola stated. “Our aim now is to recuperate our good tone. I have seen that the players are all in good shape upon their return.” Asked about Leo Messi, the trainer added: “We have spoken to him and physically he is fine. I want to go, I want to go, I want to go is what he says and we are very pleased.”

Praise for Valladolid

Looking at Real Valladolid, Guardiola heaped praise on them like he did before the first game between the teams in Camp Nou earlier this season. “They are a team that have the potential to be great,” he stated. “They also have a great coach and know how to put pressure on you high up the field. If a team has this many points it is because they are a good side. We will have to play well or we will not have a chance.”