Josep Guardiola has said that the game in Seville is the first of four tests before they face second placed Madrid. In his words “There’s a small league before the Bernabéu”.
Solidarity with Japan
The FC Barcelona also had words for the Japanese people, whose country has bit hit by an earthquake
that has caused many injuries and deaths. Guardiola said “I hope the country can pick itself
up and rebuild itself. It has been a tragedy. The picture speak for themselves, it’s
devastating. I want to send my love to their people and I’m sure we’ll soon be able to
organise an Asian tour and be able to be with them” he said.
Sevilla, Getafe, Villarreal and Almeria are the four sides Barça must play before they take on Real
Madrid. The FCB manager is convinced that these games “will determine the future of the
championship … There’s less and less to go. We have to win points before and after the
Bernabéu. It is important for us to be top when we go there, and that depends on the four games we
have to go, which will determine the end of the league”.
Nothing given away
Guardiola wants to stay at least seven points clear of their main rival,
and pointed out that “it is us to have to win things. Nobody, and even less so Madrid, will
be giving anything away … we’re arriving at the decisive stage, we’re in the cup
final, in the quarter finals of the Champions League and now it’s back to the league”.
But he is also aware that the league will not be over once they have faced Mourinho’s side.
Big test at Pizjuán
The next game is a tricky away trip to Seville. “They have been doing well
for several years. They’re one of the big teams, one of the classics, with good players and
they play a very defined way. It is always a hard place to get a result, and it’s surprising
how much noise the crowd makes. Sevilla is one of the big teams in this league and we’ll need
to play well” said the Barcelona manager.
Defined style
Guardiola likes the way the Andalusians play. “They have played a
very specific way for several years and it serves them well. They’ve always been a very
characteristic side, who attack well,” He knows they’ll be missing Luis Fabiano, but
added that “Negredo is in great form at the moment”.
1,000 days in charge
The game with Sevilla comes on Guardiola’s 1,000th day as club manager. He
said he wanted to thank all the players that had played under him over that time, and said it was
because of the squad and their hard work “that the people have enjoyed themselves so
much”.
Puyol injured
The only player FC Barcelona will be missing on Sunday is Carles Puyol. “He
has an important injury, and he has had his treatment, and is feeling better all the time. But he
is still getting some little bits of trouble and so we’re continuing his treatment.
He’s feeling positive. We are all working to get him back, but he’s certainly out for
tomorrow, and we’ll see about next week. But there’s been a major improvement.”