With the win in Alicante, Barça have equalled the record number of successive league wins, 15, held by the Real Madrid team of the 1960/61 season, an achievement Guardiola adjudges: “an immense honour”.
Guardiola stressed the importance of winning at an always difficult ground and against the only
team to have beaten Barça this season, as well as the honour he felt at equalling the 50-year-old
record held by Miguel Muñoz’s Madrid team.
Three points the most important thing
The boss insisted that the most important thing was: “taking the three points
at such a difficult ground”, whilst also remarking: “it’s an immense honour to
share this record with a team such as Di Stefano’s Madrid. It’s stood for half a
century and that just shows what a tough thing it is to achieve”.
Players”again gave a lesson”
Guardiola revealed that immediately after the game: “there was an
especially happy atmosphere amongst the players. This has always been a tricky ground for us and we
came into the game after a lot of matches recently, but despite all that, the players have again
given a great lesson. They knew the importance of winning here and the chance of equalling the
record gave us an extra incentive”.
“Seriousness”
After praising the performance of the whole team, Guardiola also highlighted the
seriousness” with which they had gone about the game, adding: “we controlled the
strategy of the match and Hercules’ counter attacking game and we beat a team against whom
sides don’t normally create many chances. Getting a goal before half time was also very
positive for us”.
Praise for goal scorers
Finally, Guardiola referred to his two goal scorers, Pedro and Messi, stressing:
“Pedro is an enormous help to the team and I hope he continues with the scoring touch
he’s enjoying. Messi is a competitive animal. He’s just 23 and he’s scored 164
times - if he carries on like this, he’s going to smash all the records”.
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Squad determined to maintain performances
Josep Guardiola revealed that at the end of the first half of the season, he and his squad set
themselves the goal of competing at the same level for the rest of the campaign: “we wanted
to compete in the same way we had in the first half of the season and it looks as if we are doing
that. Now we have to see if we can ensure the qualification to the Cup final and then go into the
tie against Arsenal, which I have the feeling might define our season”.