28.11.2008 14:00
Guardiola: “I want an ambitious team”
Anna Segura
Pep Guardiola has stated that his FC Barcelona team will not be going to the Sanchez Pizjuán this weekend to try and score a hatful, but he wants instead to see an “ambitious team that looks for its own rhythm”.
While praising Sevilla, the Blaugrana coach showed that he has complete confidence in his side
ahead of the tantalising encounter in Andalucia on Saturday evening. “I am calmer than I have
been ahead of the previous four matches,” he said. “I am now convinced that we can
compete with any team.”
Winning ambition
Against Sevilla, Guardiola knows exactly how he wants to see his team play. “We are
going to go out to attack and to win the game,” he continued. “We are going to look to
play the game and not to create a spectacle. I want to see an ambitious team that looks for its own
rhythm, but we must not forget that the counter-attack is one of Sevilla’s main
assets.”
Going forward
One of the keys to the game against Sevilla, according to Guardiola, is
to be good going forward. “We have to attack well because it is another thing to want to go
forward and another to do it effectively, they are very different.”
Game-by-game
Taking each game as it comes is one of Guardiola’s main aims too and now the trainer
only has the game against Sevilla on his mind and he will consider the forthcoming fixture list as
each match arrives. While considering that, the coach still believes that both Eto’o and
Sergio Busquets should “play with strength, desire and go out to attack” despite the
duo having already earned four yellow card each this term.
Praising Sevilla
“Sevilla are one of the greats of the game, a big rival,”
Guardiola stated. “They are the team that has let in the least goals and play a direct game,
are strong going forward and have a good defensive set-up. They are also very aggressive up front
and will look to send in a lot of cross and shoot a lot.”
Alves and Keita ready
Dani Alves and Seydou Keita
are set to play against their former club for the first time since they left to move to Camp
Nou in the summer and Guardiola thinks that “they are both ready for the game.”
Champions League draw
With
first place in the group assured
in the Champions League, Guardiola was asked who he fancied coming up against in the next
round. “In the next stage there are no easy opponents that we can face,” he said, but
did not repeat his request for a big club like he did after Barça progressed in the Copa del Rey
having knocked out Benidorm.