FCBARCELONA.CAT

16.05.2009 23:49

“An unforgettable month for Barça”

Berta Brau

Txiki Begiristain is delighted with Barça’s League triumph, and even more so as it’s been done with a “home-grown” team. He says the competition has been “really tough” and that now it’s time to enjoy things.

Barcelona’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, says he is really happy with the title Barça have won: “It’s great how it’s happened. This is an unforgettable month for Barça and its fans and we have to enjoy it”.

League made in the academy

For Txiki the squad’s achievements are even more special because they have eleven players from the Barça academy: “It’s great having so many players who’ve come up through the club and are now battling for titles. It’s the result of a fantastic job done over many years and our belief in this type of player. The easiest way of following your style of football is doing it with home-grown players”.

Tough title

Txiki Begiristain says winning this League title has been tough. “It’s been really hard and we’ve had to break records to do it,” he argued. “The problem is that people have thought for some time we’d win it because of the way we play and the difference in style with other teams. However, it’s only when you actually win the thing that you really appreciate all the hard work that’s been put into it.”

“I’m pleased with the way everything’s gone”

“There were lots of theories floating about as to how to win titles, but I was partial to the idea of first winning the Cup and then the League so we could get ready for the Champions League,” said Txiki. “It’s just a pity we couldn’t celebrate it with the fans at Camp Nou.”

Praise for Guardiola

Txiki says that Guardiola’s enormous technical and managerial ability is no surprise. “You could see that Pep Guardiola could run a squad with such good players. What you couldn’t forecast was that he’d do it so well, nigh on perfectly,” he said.

Rijkaard and Cruyff

While celebrating the League title this Saturday, Txiki Begiristain also remembered those who’ve helped to create and develop what is now called ‘the Barça style’. “We should remember all the people who’ve worked on this project,” he said. “That’s people like Frank Rijkaard, who fine tuned what Johan Cruyff had begun and which Guardiola is now adding to.”