FCBARCELONA.CAT

06.01.2009 22:36

Guardiola pleased with ambitious spirit

Anna Segura

Josep Guardiola was more than satisfied with the way his players performed tonight at the Vicente Calderón. The Barça manager feels that it is thanks to the team’s ambitious spirit “that we are we are right now".

From what he saw, Josep Guardiola could only see good things in the way his side played against Atlético Madrid. The manager knows that they have taken a giant’s stride towards qualification for the next round of the Cup and feels that was thanks to “the way we have maintained the right level of intensity along with very high pressure".

Team in good form

Like against Mallorca, Josep Guardiola was especially proud of the "tone" of his players and claimed that that is what “supports the team.” He was also impressed by the “ambitious spirit, and it is because of that that we are where we are right now".

All potential starters

Touré Yaya was the only player to hold his place in the starting line-up with respect to the team that faced Mallorca. Guardiola does not consider that any of his players are certain starters, but that “they are all just people that love their job” and that he considers it a pity not to be able to field every one of his players. Even so, he added that “that’s why I like the cup because you can give everybody a chance to take part".

Because of the players

Asked why he feels Barça are doing so well, Josep Guardiola said it all came down to the players. "They are the good ones. We have tried to transmit that game by game, and up until now they have fulfilled their roles. It is them that make the staff and the institution look so good”, people who for him “are only there for when the team does badly".