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10.11.2009 23:59
Guardiola pleased with serious approach
Vanessa Forns
After ensuring a place in the last 16 of the Spanish Cup, Pep Guardiola stressed the serious approach his team had taken to the game against Cultural Leonesa.
Ever since the draw was made, Guardiola had been insisting that this tie was potentially a dangerous one, even though the opposition were down in the third division and after the win he congratulated his players on : “the seriousness with which they approached the preparation for this tie” and stressed that Leon had been: a hard working, well organised team, with a very organised defence”.
“That' s the way forward”
“The first cup game is always a bit complicated, because you go into it as the big favourite -we struggled last year against Benidorm. I really want to congratulate my players on the serious attitude they've shown. That's the way forward for us, you have to play each game at the top level. If you don't go into a game seriously, then anything can happen. Now we just have to keep on in this way”.
“Madrid will have more time for the league”
Guardiola refused to be drawn on Madrid's shock cup knock out to third
division Alcorcon: “I don't know what the repercussions will be. That's something they will
have to look at. These things can happen, but they are a big team and this will give them more time
to recover between league games”.
Bojan
Bojan Krkic was undoubtedly one of the night's big names, opening the scoring with his two second half strikes, and Guardiola praised him, saying: “I'm very happy for him, especially for how he took the first goal. He's got to keep working hard, I want the most out of him because we really need him. He's an asset to this club”.
Win dedicated to Enke and César
Guardiola thanked the more than 26,000 crowd who turned up for the match and dedicated the win to Robert Enke, who died on Tuesday, and to the family of the keeper Cesar, one of Barca's best ever players who also played for Leon.
Ibra to quit Sweden?
Finally, Guardiola confirmed that Ibrahimovic had discussed the possibility of retiring from the international game: “he mentioned it to me and I told him that it was a personal matter for him to decide. What I want is for him to work hard and get involved here, to do things right. Whatever he decides will be okay”.
Images: Miguel Ruiz (FCB)
Laporta: “the players put on a show”
Club President Joan Laporta was especially pleased with the team's performance, claiming: “we
did what we had to, which was win the tie. The fans who came enjoyed themselves because the players
put on a good show for them”.
“All the players did well: Bojan's goal will be a big morale boost for him, Sergio Busquets was extraordinary, Pinto, Fontàs or Màrquez, who's getting back to full fitness.... “. Laporta also reckoned Leon had been a “dignified opponents. They held out for the first 45 minutes, but then Barca showed the level we are at”.
As to Real Madrid's defeat, Laporta commented: “after the first leg, this was always possible. It could happen to any team, this is a knock out tournament and you always have to be on your toes”.
“All the players did well: Bojan's goal will be a big morale boost for him, Sergio Busquets was extraordinary, Pinto, Fontàs or Màrquez, who's getting back to full fitness.... “. Laporta also reckoned Leon had been a “dignified opponents. They held out for the first 45 minutes, but then Barca showed the level we are at”.
As to Real Madrid's defeat, Laporta commented: “after the first leg, this was always possible. It could happen to any team, this is a knock out tournament and you always have to be on your toes”.
