FCBARCELONA.CAT

11.11.2009 10:57

Txiki: “It’s our third chance and we have to take advantage of it”

www.fcbarcelona.cat

FC Barcelona Technical Secretary, Txiki Begiristain, has revealed that the World Club Championship is one of the priorities for the season. “We mustn’t get obsessed about it but we need it”.

Txiki Begiristain and director of football Raül Sanhlleí left for Abu Dhabi on Wednesday to attend the draw for the World Club Championship on Thursday. In Abu Dhabi they will meet up with Board member Albert Perrín, who is representing the Board at the draw.

Historic objective

Txiki Begiristain told us: “It’s one of the Club’s historical objectives because we don’t have this title. We mustn’t get obsessed about it but we need it. We’ve got three European Cups and so this is our third chance at World Club Championship and we have to take advantage of it”.

Txiki accepts that Barça are favourites and that, on paper, everyone is expecting a final between Barça and Estudiantes de la Plata, current holders of the Copa Libertadores. As European champions, Barça will go straight into the semi-finals as will Estudiantes.

No meeting with City

The presence of the Barça delegation at a friendly match between Manchester City and a UAE XI to inaugurate the Zayed stadium has given rise to all sorts of rumours about possible negotiations to bring Robinho to the Camp Nou. Begiristain denied that things were so advanced: “We won’t be meeting with City. We’re respectful and it hasn’t been decided who should come, not even if anyone has to come and who it should be. There’s a prior stage missing which is a meeting between Guardiola and me. Once the decision has been taken we will follow the strategy for any signing. This meeting – between the manager and the technical secretary – hasn’t taken place yet. So we’re going to see the City match and that’s all”.