Guardiola: �We have to win this point�

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Football

10.05.2011 13:53

Guardiola: �We have to win this point�

Anna Segura

Bar�a need just one point to mathematically secure the league title, but Guardiola says �we need to be well prepared mentally because you have to win points, they don�t give them away�.

Dream Team inimitable

Although Guardiola’s Bar�a has set record after record and is eclipsing some of the finest teams that club has ever had, the manager does not think his players could ever equal what the Dream Team did. “No matter how many titles we win, they can never be equalled, because they were the pioneers. You can never equal what they did because they were generation that ended that long period without winning, and created this continuity both in style and titles”.

It’s the first match ball for Bar�a. In fact, if Madrid don’t win this evening, they’ll be champions anyway and the game with Levante will be purely academic. But Pep Guardiola is not resting on his laurels, saying “it is as if we’ve already got the point, but we haven’t”.

He knows he has no control over what Madrid might do against Getafe, so all he can do is ensure his team is “well prepared mentally because you have to win points, they don’t give them away”.

Difficult league

The FC Barcelona doesn’t think league campaign has been any harder than his first two as manager, and thinks people are only saying that because the events are fresher on the mind. “It was hard every year” he said, and added that he really didn’t think they’d be eight points clear at this stage of the season. “I thought it would be decided in Malaga” he said.

Careful with Levante

Whatever happens to Madrid, Pep expects a tough test in Valencia on Wednesday night against a side that was in danger of relegation for some time. But now “they are almost safe … they deserve top honours for what they have done this season.”

Piqu� one of the best

Guardiola also spoke about Gerard Piqu�, who got the second goal on Sunday night against Espanyol. “He has been one of the club’s best signings and they did the right thing bringing him back. They sensed his potential, especially Txiki and Tito, who first saw him as a youth player. He has been surprisingly competitive, especially in big matches … this last month and a half he has been one of the best centre backs in the world”.

Villa important

Guardiola also refuses to accept the criticism of Villa. “There is never a game in which he doesn’t get into goalscoring positions. He always generates them.” He feels the Asturian has been a fundamental part of the team this season, and highlighted his ability to create space. “Next season, he’ll be more comfortable because the first year is never easy at this club”.

A living club

Guardiola was delighted that there were more than 96,000 applications for tickets to go to the final at Wembley. He stated that this shows how much “this club is alive”.