30.04.2011 22:57
Guardiola: “we didn’t control possession in the second half”
Vanessa Forns
Speaking after the defeat in Donosti, Josep Guardiola accepted that the result was in part down to his team’s failing to control possession in the second half.
Although they had gone one up in the first half thanks to a Thiago goal on the half hour, Barça let
Real back into the game in the second half and Ifrán and Xabi Prieto turned the result around. For
Guardiola, his team “lacked that extra control” after the break.
“We didn’t control possession in the second half and we are a team who needs to
control the game. After the break, we didn’t have that. In addition, we didn’t defend
well on occasions”. Guardiola however, denied that his players had been too overconfident
once they had taken the lead.
Four more points needed
Despite the defeat, Barça need to take just four more points to win the league title and the
boss insisted: “there’s just four more points we need and we will go and try to get
them wherever we can. We will have to win them –we’ve talked about that”.
Injury blows
As well as losing the game, Guardiola also lost two players through injury: Montoya
and Milito, and he believes: “this leaves us a bit short handed” for the final run in
to the season, “but we are who we are and we can always call on the reserve team players.
It’s amazing that we have come this far and now we have to finish the job off”.
Call for fans’ support
Turning his attention to Tuesday’s clash with Real Madrid, Guardiola called
on the fans to come along and get behind the team: “we are in a Champions League semi final
with everything to play for. I think it will be a very hard game in every sense, both in terms of
football and emotions. We will need the fans support – we need everyone to give us a hand. We
will have to be very strong out on the pitch”.