11.09.2010 21:14

Guardiola laments lack of fluidity

Anna Segura

Josep Guardiola congratulated Hercules for their performance at the Camp Nou and explained how the game showed just how difficult it is to succeed in la Liga.

Barça have lost their first league game of the season at the Camp Nou, and also said goodbye to the first points of their campaign. But Guardiola knows that such setbacks are only to be expected in football, and that what was really extraordinary was the way they finished last season with a massive 99 points. He knows that at FCB it is only winning that counts but “everything is difficult. We have a tough season ahead, and it is us who have to get the wins”.

Key to the game

Guardiola observed that “we didn’t have the pace. They closed down the inside routes well and its hard to play against teams that play so tightly. You need to get things perfect, and its much more difficult … we were lacking fluidity.” He was much happier with the way they had played against Racing, and conceded that “at this stage of the season, the players simply aren’t at their best”.

No excuses

The Barça boss wanted to hear nothing of excuses about the international matches this week or the poor state of the turf. “We have managed to deal with this kind of thing before and there is no way I’m going to say we lost because of the grass. It would hardly be very serious to put it down to the grass”.

A lesson before Panathinaikos

Barça now have to turn the page and start thinking about their Champions League opener against Panathinaikos. He will be asking his players to remain modest and “lift their heads up and carry on”.