На предматчевой пресс-конференции в понедельник Пеп Гвардиола предупредил собравшихся об опасности, связанной с возможной недооценкой соперника, а также вступился за игру своей команды в минувший уик-енд.

Гвардиола сказал журналистам, что его игроки не могут относиться ни к чему как к должному в матче против «Культурал Леонеса» в ответном матче 1/16 Кубка Испании. «Мы попробуем провести хороший матч. Мы будем сражаться, так как мы все еще не прошли дальше, и мы должны будем уважать нашего соперника на поле. В футболе бывает много сюрпризов. Первый раунд всегда очень опасен. Тот факт, что мы выиграли у них на поле, еще не означает, что мы сделаем это у себя дома».

Матчи – лучшая тренировка

Гвардиола не намерен давать своим игрокам расслабляться. «Надеюсь, они подойдут к этому серьезно. Как тренер я знаю, что много не тренируют. Каждые три или четыре дня игрокам приходится проводить матч, и самое важное – это сохранять им мотивацию. А лучшая тренировка – это сам матч».

Шансы для всех

Так как часть игроков не сможет принять участия в матче из-за вызовов в сборные или травм, Гвардиола вновь прибегнет к помощи игроков филиала. Тренер прокомментировал это так: «Мне всегда передают диск с очередным матчем «Барса Атлетик». Я изучаю эти записи и стараюсь быть в курсе их дел. Я разговаривал с Луисом Энрике, а также последил за несколькими игроками во время их тренировки».

Также матч во вторник может стать шансом для Бойана, который в этом сезоне играет в команде лишь периферийную роль, показать тренеру, что он достоин места в команде. «Я понимаю, что он, возможно, недоволен и разочарован. Но вся правда в том, что я вижу его место на поле в штрафной площадке соперника, и я хотел дать Ибре шанс вписаться в команду. Но я хочу дать ему играть, ибо он заслужил это своим отношением».

Наконец, Гвардиола прокомментировал отсутствие Маркеса в матче против «Мальорки». «Это никакое не наказание. Я мог включить в заявку лишь 18 игроков, и он с Жеффреном пропустили матч. Я не имею привычки наказывать своих игроков таким образом. Маркес знает, почему его не было в заявке, и это не наказание».

Уверен в своих методах

Что касается самого матча против «Мальорки», то Гвардиола выразил явное недовольство критикой в адрес игры его команды и защите во время стандартов у их ворот. «Я сдаюсь, - с иронией в голосе сказал тренер. – Я не могу заставить своих игроков играть хорошо». Потом, уже серьезным тоном, добавил: «Мы не можем играть хорошо всегда. Вспомните прошлый сезон, в нем мы провели 5-6 матчей намного хуже субботнего. И это был первый мяч, что мы пропустили со стандарта. Да, всегда есть место для улучшения, но думаю, в целом мы сейчас играем отнюдь неплохо».

«Для Роналду не имеет никакого смысла выходить на поле»

Отвечая на вопрос о вызове травмированного Криштиану Роналду в состав сборной Португалии, Гвардиола сказал: «У клубов и сборных однозначно не хватает доверия друг к другу. Мы должны сделать шаг вперед в этом направлении. Если он травмирован, то он должен отдыхать. Для Роналду не имеет никакого смысла выходить на поле».

Catalonia Coach Johan Cruyff Believes Football Can Cure Many Ailments
Johan Cruyff made his first public appearance as the new coach of the Catalan national team and spoke EXCLUSIVELY to Goal.com...

He dazzled as a player, and then as a manager and 13 years after retiring from the game, Cruyff is back to his best. Speaking for the first time since being appointed coach of Catalunya, he had the media eating out of his hands at his official presentation.

The Dutch maestro, despite having lived in Barcelona for 35 years, doesn't speak the Catalan language. When he was critically quizzed over this, his reply was as classic as a Cruyff turn on the edge of the area, followed by a shimmy past a dazed defender and an arching shot that rockets into the back of the net...

When the question was asked the whole media core expected the 62-year-old to crumble before the weighty expectations of a fiercely proud region.

"Listen," he said, "after 35 years I can just about speak Spanish. I would not wish to violate your Catalan language."

It was a moment of sheer brilliance, the opposition, as such, simply disintegrated before his eyes. It was something only Johan Cruyff could have produced out of thin air just like in his football heyday.

But why does Cruyff want to return to football, to be in charge of a team which will play, at best, two friendly games a year?

The answer lies in the hugely ambitious plans by the Catalan Football Federation to bring forward an education project to the Catalunya which will help all kids through football, as Cruyff explained to Goal.com.

"Football touches every part of society, so for instance if we talk about integration, well then through sports it's easy. If we talk about respect and education, then through football, learning the rules for example, then again it's very easy."

It might be educational, but eyebrows have to be raised over the issue of respect, which in the professional game at least, has been tested to the limit.

But where Cruyff is spot on once again is in his assertions that sport in general, and football in particular, can help when it comes to health issues.

" If you look at obesity, or say diabetes, then being involved in sports can really help. It has everything to do with the quality of life." He told Goal.com.

Cruyff's commitment to helping improve the lives of children through sport is well documented. His own Cruyff Foundation has been running now for over ten years as has the Cruyff University.

"Children need help from us. I educated myself on the streets. I went on a bicycle, played football, was running around doing whatever, but today it's always in a car, and there's no place to play on the street. So you have to create something different. It's the same body that you are born with that you die with. Okay you can change a few things but not too much! And today with cars, computers, internet whatever else, physical education is at a very low level and sport can do something about it."

The Catalan Federation is prepared to do something totally new in Europe. They've invited all the amateur clubs in Catalonia which is about 1400, and wants them to give some type of sport education in their areas, to help the children through schools or via local government or whatever means. Football is the biggest sport which makes it the easiest way to do so."

Such is the passion that Cruyff has for this project, that any question about football itself, ricochets back to the subject of helping children.

"What will it feel like to be back on the bench again?" he echoes the question back to himself.

"I suppose mine is a big name to have as a coach for just one or two matches a year. I have always enjoyed myself playing together with the players, talking to people in the game, watching, sitting on the bench. But it's at most two times a year, so that's not really a job. The other side of the role is the main thing. But to get attention for that, you have to do something for it."

It's a trade off, the name of Johan Cruyff is ideal for the project the Federation wants to start. Cruyff won't be paid in his new role, there simply isn't any money to do so. And he doesn't mind because he is more interested in the work the Federation wants to do.

Yet Cruyff's return to the game is timely. His beloved Barcelona have revived the 'Dream Team' of his era. Under the leadership of Pep Guardiola, who was his captain, Barca have rebranded the ethos of Cruyff, but under the name of Guardiola. And the Dutchman is simply flushed with joy at the way the team plays.

"If you ask me about Pep, what can I say? I am very happy, especially because he is a very intelligent person and is a good friend of mine. I think it's perfect what he is doing at Barcelona."

Last week there was a possibility that Argentina might organise a friendly against Catalunya after playing against Spain next Saturday. While that has now been quashed, the idea of Maradona and Cruyff being on opposing benches remains mouthwatering. And it's something that Cruyff is happy to tap into.   

"I think for Maradona to come here with the national team and play in the city where he played, should be something... I mean for him to come back to Barcelona where he more or less started it should be a big party."

But he refuses to pass judgement on the Argentine's behaviour as a national coach.

"He is what he is and you either accept it or you don't accept it."

Cruyff clearly has his opinions on some of the best players in the world today. When asked what his thoughts are on the special talent that is Wayne Rooney, Cruyff's answer is interesting.

"Wayne Rooney has behaved himself perfectly. It was difficult... lets put it in those terms...  when he came over from Everton to Manchester United. But they have created a good person, as far as I can see it from here. If you see his behaviour in the last few years on and off the field I think he is a good person with a good attitude for children."

In a week in which Wayne Rooney became a father, now one of the biggest players to ever grace the game, feels that the Englishman can be a perfect role model for young children worldwide.

Barcelona Coach Pep Guardiola Denies Demanding New Signings In Winter Transfer Window
President Joan Laporta says they are ready to make moves to sign a player if the coach wants...

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has declared that he has not ordered the signing of any player during the winter transfer window.

The Blaugrana have been linked with a host of players since the beginning of the season, most notably Premier League based duo Javier Mascherano and Robinho but the coach insists that he has made no demands for new additions during the upcoming transfer season.

"I did not order any new signing, perhaps I might prompt later when the time comes," he remarked, according to El Mundo Deportivo.

Guardiola also said that he knows nothing of a potential approach for Manchester City star Robinho, insisting "nobody has told me anything", before adding that an approach for the Brazilian striker would be illegal without the permission of his club.

"It is a hazard to talk to a player with a contract in force."

Meanwhile club president Joan Laporta has intimated that should the coach want to sign the Brazilian striker, or any player for that matter, during the transfer window, the club will make an effort to do so.

"If the coach wants to make a signing during the winter, we will make an effort to do so," Laporta said, according to Sport.

Barcelona Star Lionel Messi Throws Down Gauntlet To Inter
The Argentine claims Barca have no fear of the Nerazzurri and will come out on top in their crucial Champions League clash...

Barcelona ace Lionel Messi has no doubt that the Catalans will prove too much to handle for Italian giants Inter when the Nerazzurri visit the Camp Nou for a crunch Champions League Group F tie in a fortnight.

“We will prevail,” the confident Argentine international told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“They are a great team and we will need to play our best football. But we can’t afford to slip up. We respect them, but we certainly are not afraid of them.”

Inter and Barcelona traded talent over the summer when Cameroonian hitman Samuel Eto’o moved to the San Siro and Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic headed in the opposite direction. And Messi was keen to talk up his on-field relationship with his new team-mate.

“My partnership with ‘Ibra’ is getting better and better with every game we play,” said Messi.

“He is a great man on and off the pitch.”

Inter lead the way in Group F with six points to their name, after claiming their first win of the campaign away to Dynamo Kiev last week. Barca and Russian outfit Rubin Kazan are joint second, one point adrift of the Beneamata.