FCBARCELONA.CAT

10.05.2009 22:49

“We have to win the Cup”

Vanessa Forns

Although Barça missed the chance tonight to clinch the league title, Guardiola told reporters after the match that the team “is much closer to the title” and that now the players had to raise themselves for Wednesday’s final in Valencia.

He had said it several times in the pre-match press conference. The players would have loved to win the championship in front of the fans in the Camp Nou, both for the fans themselves and to finally get their hands on one of the three titles in play. But Llorente had other plans. “Seeing the ground like this is fantastic. I understand that people are upset. In the end life consists of good moments. We’ll try and live them another day. I’m sorry about that”.

However, he reminded reporters that Barça are eight points ahead with only nine to play for: “We’re much closer, more than at the beginning of this matchday”.

Focussed on the Cup

Guardiola, who stated that the sending off of Abidal had been a turning point because of the tiredness of his players, called on them to make a final effort: “We have to pick ourselves up quickly, go forward with what we’ve got and with a smile on our faces to prepare for the Cup next Wednesday”.

Iniesta injury “the worst news of the day”

”The worst news of the day” was how Guardiola described the injury to Andrés Iniesta. “He’s a very important player for us because he gives us so much. Playing a match every three days the effort is very great. He’s definitely out for Wednesday and the objective is to get him back in time for the Champions League final”.

That’s football

As for Llorente’s injury time goal, which snatched the league title away at the last moment, Guardiola was philosophical: “Football is like that. A few days ago we did it and today they stopped us. At Stamford Bridge it was Iniesta and today it was Llorente. Fate has played a trick on us – it was Llorente”.