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25.10.2009 23:29
Guardiola: "This was an important win"
Anna Segura
Pep Guardiola warned before the game that Marcelino's teams were always well organised and that Zaragoza could be a serious threat and for that reason the boss was especially pleased with the result on Sunday night.
Since his arrival at the helm, Josep Guardiola has always stressed the importance of respect for his team's opponents and after the demolition job they carried out on Zaragoza, he still insisted: “I've got a lot of respect for Marcelino's team – that's one reason why I give this win such importance”.
“Keita deserves this and more”
Seydou Keita has always been a favourite of Josep Guardiola's and after
his hat trick on Sunday, the boss commented: “I'm very happy for him. You all know the
opinion I have of him and he deserves this and more”.
Another of the game's key players was Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Guardiola confirmed: “he's settling in – you can see that he's stronger and more dynamic”.
Messi
As for Leo Messi, Guardiola had particular praise for his:
“patience” during the game and insisted: “leo is never in doubt – he's a
guy who just loves playing football. It's important that we are by his side and he knows that we
will always be there whatever happens”.
No criticism of media
Despite the murmurs of doubt which appeared following the defeat to Rubin, Guardiola was adamant that: “we had no criticisms – we do our job and the media do theirs, they are there to judge us, but we don't judge them”.
Images: Miguel Ruiz (FCB)
Laporta: "Perfect performance”
Club President Joan Laporta also expressed his satisfaction with the win:”we put in a perfect
performance and we were clearly deserved winners. The players were especially motivated after
Tuesday's result and they showed tonight that that was just a slip up”.
Joan Laporta also spoke about Leo Messi: “his goal was important because he'd had quite a few chances before that – he got one in the end and I'm very happy about that for him. The whole team was great tonight”. Asked about the gap that's opened up with Madrid, Laporta was cautious: “there's a long way to go in the league yet. We are playing well and with the same attitude we showed last year -humility and sacrifice. We are on the right track”.
Finally, the President expressed his satisfaction with the contract extension signed this week by Carles Puyol: “it's great news for the club and the fans. It has a great symbolic weight and thanks to the work put in by the technical staff and Rafael Yuste, we hope to have it all signed and sealed this week”.
Joan Laporta also spoke about Leo Messi: “his goal was important because he'd had quite a few chances before that – he got one in the end and I'm very happy about that for him. The whole team was great tonight”. Asked about the gap that's opened up with Madrid, Laporta was cautious: “there's a long way to go in the league yet. We are playing well and with the same attitude we showed last year -humility and sacrifice. We are on the right track”.
Finally, the President expressed his satisfaction with the contract extension signed this week by Carles Puyol: “it's great news for the club and the fans. It has a great symbolic weight and thanks to the work put in by the technical staff and Rafael Yuste, we hope to have it all signed and sealed this week”.
