FCBARCELONA.CAT

18.12.2009 12:41

Pep: "I know the players will give everything"

Roger Bogunyà (enviat especial) / Anna Segura

Pep Guardiola has said he has not had to do anything to motivate his players ahead of Saturday’s world final: "I haven’t said anything so far. They know what this chance means, because they know how hard it was to get here".

He also feels they "are better than before the semi final … we were a bit slow the first few days. I think they’re better now, it’s the feeling I see on their faces”. Attitude, effort, giving everything they can – these are the things the coach likes to get out of his players. “We have come to win, but we could lose. But even if we lose, people’s opinion of how this year has gone will not change at all.”

Dark future

One game can’t change a year’s work. "This won’t condition what we have achieved. The future is dark, because it will be impossible to do better than we have done. Our obligation is not to stop working” he said. As he says, after this final the next opponent is Villarreal. This never stops.

Estudiantes, much more than attitude

Estudiantes are in this game on the basis of their ability and not just their fighting spirit, as opposed to what is being said in the media. Guardiola agrees. "I have been pleasantly surprised. You can sense their character, and there’s more to them than running, aggression and biting. They have much moiré. They are well-organised, participative and have some good tactics, with Verón and Benítez well positioned. Desábato, one of the centre backs, is very strong in the air, and the full backs get involved...". Nothing but praise.

"Iniesta doesn’t deserve this"

But Guardiola is sorry that Iniesta will miss the final, both as a person and because of what he adds to the team. "There is nothing that saddens me more, he is so generous in difficult games, like cup matches... He made such an effort to be ready in time for the Champions League final. We have other footballers, but I’m so sorry. He doesn’t deserve this, but that’s football. He’ll get his head up and carry on.” Asked how Iniesta is feeling, the answer was "he’s upset, he’s sad".