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11.01.2009 23:52
Guardiola: “Good lesson for the future”
Vanessa Forns
After describing Barça’s first half performance at Pamplona as “extraordinary” and noting the problems the side faced in the second half, Guardiola expressed his view that the game will be “a good lesson for the future”.
Barça had to work hard to overcome Osasuna by 2-3 after being ahead by 0-1 at the break. Osasuna had fought back to take a 2-1 lead and Barça then reacted to make a spectacular comeback. Guardiola was not surprised by how difficult the win at Reyno de Navarra turned out to be, as “this is always a hard place to play at and Osasuna play with a lot of heart, so we knew it would be tough”.
Playing with fire
Guardiola thinks his side “played with fire” after the restart. “We gave an extraordinary performance in the first half, but we didn’t do the business in the second until we were behind,” he said. “We found it hard to get into the game while Osasuna were on a roll. We weren’t playing it right and it was the talent of the players that pulled us through.”
Good lesson
That’s why Barça’s coach thinks this Sunday’s game is “a good lesson for the future to show we aren’t the champions of anything yet”. “There are still lots of games to go,” he said, before admitting that in the second half against José Antonio Camacho’s side “you could see our weaknesses and we can’t afford to go down that route”.
Praise for Osasuna
Guardiola underlined how hard it is to score against Osasuna. He also believes that with the “spirit” the Navarre outfit showed, they should be able to “achieve whatever they set out to do”.
Messi’s talent
Finally Guardiola spoke about Messi, who scored Barça’s winner to give the team its eighth win on the spin away from home in the League. “He gives you a lot of peace of mind,” said Guardiola. “I just hope he continues to be so enthusiastic.”
Laporta: “The team showed its fighting spirit”
After the 2-3 win at Reyno de Navarra, Joan Laporta highlighted Barça’s “fighting
spirit” as they came back after falling behind at 2-1. The club chairman thinks that wins
like the one this Sunday are especially praiseworthy given the circumstances. He also stressed the
strength of an Osasuna side who in his view “don’t deserve to be where they are in the
table”. Just like Pep Guardiola, Laporta appealed for caution in the light of the
team’s good results: “We have objectives in every game, but you have to keep your feet
on the ground. The team’s looking good and we’re heading the right way, so we have to
keep on doing what we’re doing”.
Laporta also spoke about Messi and Xavi’s chances of becoming FIFA World Player at the awards gala to be held this Monday in Zurich. The club chairman would like Messi to pick up the prize as he is “extraordinarily talented”. As for Xavi, Joan Laporta thinks he “deserves to be one of the top three. Any side would love to have him. We’ve extended his contract because he deserves it and because he’s a role model for our academy players.”
Laporta also spoke about Messi and Xavi’s chances of becoming FIFA World Player at the awards gala to be held this Monday in Zurich. The club chairman would like Messi to pick up the prize as he is “extraordinarily talented”. As for Xavi, Joan Laporta thinks he “deserves to be one of the top three. Any side would love to have him. We’ve extended his contract because he deserves it and because he’s a role model for our academy players.”
