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09.05.2009 15:05
Guardiola: “We have 2 titles at stake in 4 days”
Marc Guillén
It’s been an unforgettable week but there’s more to come. Guardiola told reporters on Saturday: “I get the feeling we have 2 titles at stake in 4 days. Even if Madrid win, if we beat Villarreal we will take a giant step towards winning the league”.
Real Madrid face Valencia in the Mestalla on Saturday while Barça wait until Sunday to receive Villarreal in the Camp Nou. If Real Madrid fail to win then Barça can mathematically clinch the league title by beating Villarreal on Sunday evening. However, Guardiola believes that whatever happens in Valencia, a win for Barça will be more or less definitive and he called on players and fans alike to make a final effort.
The fans the key against Villarreal
Once again, Guardiola highlighted the important role of the fans: “We know that if we win our two home games we will be champions. Where our legs don’t arrive our heads will, and if not the fans will. If there isn’t an empty seat in the ground tomorrow then the players will switch on. The fans have to lend us a hand. The players deserve it”.
Forget about celebrations
With the familiar cry of “we haven’t won
anything yet” Guardiola did his best to talk down the idea of any league title celebrations.
He warned that the players might be “distracted” by any such celebrations: “We
can’t think about that during the match. We have to focus on the game and on the job”.
“I want to win the league right now”
As for whether it would be better to clinch the league title before or after the Cup Final, Guardiola has no doubts: “I want to win the league right now, as soon as possible. Here we don’t leave anything for the future. A match we play is a match we want to win. It’s time to start wrapping things up”.
Guardiola remains faithful to the philosophy that has served him well up to now: “Right now the match against Villarreal is more important than the Cup Final. I won’t be thinking about [Cup Final opponents] Athletic until Sunday night”.
La Liga the best of the 3 titles
Although Guardiola has no priorities, he’s clear which he prefers. “The league title is the nicest because it’s the one that tells you who’s been the best”.
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“We’ll appeal the cards against Abidal and Alves”
The Barça coach also announced that the Club will appeal against the cards shown to Alves and
Abidal in the away match against Chelsea, and which will mean that they will be banned for the
Final in Rome: “Of course we’ll appeal the cards against Abidal and Alves out of
respect for them”. He went on to say that in his opinion Manchester United’s Fletcher,
who is also suspended for the Final, should receive a reprieve as the offending tackle was
well-intentioned.
