09.02.2011 18:40

Zubi: “Guardiola will sign on February 22”

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Sporting Director of Professional Football, Andoni Zubizarreta confirmed this Wednesday evening that Josep Guardiola will be signing his new contract on February 22nd at 13.30: “he’ll be signing during a quiet week”, declared Zubizarreta.

Speaking to Barça TV and fcbarcelona.cat, Andoni Zubizarreta explained that the agreement between the Club and Guardiola will be signed a week next Tuesday, February 22nd, once the team have got through their games against Sporting, Arsenal and Athletic Club Bilbao.

The signing will take place in the last week of February when the team have no midweek game and ahead of the match in Mallorca the following weekend: “we’ve spoken with Pep and we believe that that will be a quiet week and it also fits in with President Rosell’s schedule”.

Fewer games, more time for reflection

The absence of a midweek game this week was also one of the reasons why the Club and Guardiola decided to close the deal this week: “for Guardiola and for us it has always been important that we could have time to sit down and talk calmly and reflect on things. It’s not always a bidding war or a matter of numbers – this week gave us the time to sit and talk”, explained Zubizarreta.

Negotiation” neither easy nor difficult”

“Zubi” also revealed some of the details of the contract negotiations: “we knew that Pep wanted to stay, because he’s always said that, and that that wouldn’t be a problem. We are aware of his value as a coach and what he brings to us as a club”.

Guardiola and Zubizarreta were team mates in the “Dream Team” of the 90s and remain good friends, but the ex-keeper insisted: “both of us know our roles and their limits, This wasn’t a hard, difficult or complicated negotiation, but neither was it easy or simple”.

A deal that works

Just as he did a year ago, Josep Guardiola has renewed his contract for a single season and Zubizarreta explained: “it’s a way of doing things that has worked for the Club and for Guardiola too. It’s not the normal, or traditional way of doing things in football, but it has given us great results because of who is he and who we are”.