FCBARCELONA.CAT

25.10.2008 23:57

Guardiola. “We’ll know where we are at the end of the League”

Anna Segura

Pep Guardiola remains cautious and attaches little importance to the fact that Barça is provisional League leader. He expressed his satisfaction with the way his players performed and said that you have to “take each game as it comes".

After the match Josep Guardiola immediately went to congratulate the team both individually and as a group in the changing room. He says that Barça’s big wins in recent weeks are because “the players are playing well” and not because “the manager’s performing miracles”.

He attaches little importance to the fact that Barça is provisional League leader after beating Almeria: “What is important is to win each game as it comes and we’ll know where we are at the end of the League.”

Surprised by the goals

Josep Guardiola expressed his surprise at the thrashings his team is handing out as “they’re not normal”. He pointed out that during the first games of the season “goals were scored early on” and emphasized that “we create lots of chances and they don’t”.

Players

Barça’s coach spoke about Andrés Iniesta and Dani Alves. He is pleased with the ability of the former to play wide or in midfield: “He’s there to help out and do it. He’s a role model for the academy and his team-mates about how to behave as a player.”

Then just as he said at the press conference before the Almeria game, Guardiola repeated his view that Alves “is a player who helps us a lot with his work rate and commitment and we’re very happy with him”.

Numancia line-up

Josep Guardiola put out the same players against Almeria who took the field against Numancia ( 1-0 ). “Against Numancia we played worse but we had some bits like today,” he said. “However, our positional play and other things were poor back then. Now the wins make everything a lot simpler.”