In today’s el Clasico pre-match press conference, FC Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola thinks tomorrow match is going to be a balanced and hard fought match where both teams will press for the win: “Real Madrid is a team that places a lot of importance on keeping possession of the ball, likes to dominate a match and plays well on the counter-attack.”

“Away from home, they have only let in four goals all season and I think defence-wise, they are very strong. I have this feeling that they are going to be well organised,” he added.

“Tomorrow we will see how (good) the players are, and who will do things right. It will be a match with endless attacking moves. I imagine Madrid will not play defensively. It will be an attractive match for the neutral spectators.”

“When you have to play every three days, a draw will not be acceptable anymore. Before the Inter match, our confidence was low but now we are in top form mentally,” he acknowledged.

Touching on Barcelona’s league position after eleven rounds of matches, Guardiola admitted he is not worried by the 1 point difference: “The situation was abnormal last year when we were nine points ahead in November. This time it is they who are ahead. Hopefully we can take a small jump in the standings tomorrow.”

Queried about the different philosophies applied by the two clubs, that is characterised by the media as a ‘cantera versus cartera’ contest, Guardiola reminded everyone that “Barca is also a rich club, but of course, as I have said before, it is only natural for them to be league leader after the amount of money that they have spent. But then again, anyone can do whatever they want with their own money.”

“Nonetheless, if they are the leader, it is because of something and I know why; they do more things right than wrong,” at the same time lending a hand for his under-fire opposite number, Manuel Pellegrini.

The Barcelona coach was also queried about Lionel Messi’s and Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s chances of starting the match tomorrow, in which he replied: “We will decide before the match. For now, I have not made up my mind yet.”

He however stressed that “we can win against Madrid with or without Messi, even though the Argentine is an important player for us, and we prefer him to be (playing).”

“Ibra and Leo have trained well but the risk of a recurrence is always present especially in the first match just after recovering, and it was only days ago that they picked up their injuries.”

Questioned about Cristiano Ronaldo’s hurried reappearance for the Camp Nou clash, Guardiola replied, “I am certain he will at least play a few minutes and if he does, he will be a weapon for them. He is a quality and top level player. We will see how it goes. I want it to happen because we are playing for the crowd, and they want to see all of the great players.”

“With him playing we are not going to lose by 1-0 (if we do lose), as he says he wants to score 10 to 20 goals, but then again, if they want to win, we’ll make them work for it,” referring to the Portuguese comments in an interview yesterday.

Finally Guardiola hopes the media will not characterise tomorrow’s match as another showdown between Messi and Cristiano, making it clear: “I don’t plan to have this clash to be decided by only Messi, Ibra or Iniesta but through teamwork.”

In an exclusive interview with Madrid sports paper Marca today, Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema acknowledged the importance of his first ever el Clasico to his career.

Although in recent days there has been a lot of talk about Barcelona’s spectacular football and Real Madrid’s lack of style, the Frenchman is asking for patience from the media and fans, saying that “bit by bit the spectacle will come.”

Asked about Real’s prospect of beating the Catalan side on their home turf, Benzema said he is confident of his team’s chances this Sunday and is not concerned, “I’m afraid of neither Barca nor the Camp Nou.”

“I do not want to think about losing, I only want to get the four points,” he admitted, emphasizing the significance of the match to both teams, which to him is worth more than the three points at stake.

Regarding the presence or absence of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi in that match, the player confessed, “I prefer that he does not play because Messi is very good.”

Finally Benzema defended his France teammate, Thierry Henry, who was widely criticised for his handball in France World Cup second-leg play-off which resulted in the goal that eliminated Ireland, “I can never forget everything that Henry had done for the France national team. The ball hit his hand and that’s it, it could happen to anyone.”

With the signing of Andrés Iniesta yesterday and Rafael Márquez’ renewal scheduled for the next Monday, FC Barcelona Technical Secretary Txiki Begiristain said he is about to complete the task given to him to retain the current ‘tricampeón’ group of players who are the pillars of the team and those whose contract are expiring, according to Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo.

He acknowledged that in “all of the negotiations (and that includes that of Yaya Toure), there was no pressure being put on me including using threats of offers from other clubs as all the players involved wanted to remain with Barcelona. The negotiations were mere formalities.”

“In general, what we have been doing is to be fair to our players who deserve it (in contract deals).”

Commenting on Mexican defender Rafael Márquez (30), Txiki said, “He is a special case, a reference for the (team’s) style and a player with the profile that we have always wanted. When we are going to sign someone or when we are looking for a central defender, we always say that the player should be ‘like Márquez’ because he has everything we want in a defender; ball clearance, strength, shooting (free-kicks), vision, ability  to start attacking moves and able to play in midfield. He contributed a lot to help the team achieve the ‘triplete’,” revealing that Márquez could have chosen to “let his contract expires and leave. With his reputation and qualities he could have taken up other opportunities. As I have said, he is very good but has preferred remain with Barca and we are thrilled.”

On Gerard Piqué’s negotiations, he said, “There has been no surprises and has proceeded better than we expected. Things, however, need to be given time to sort itself out.”

Touching briefly on the club’s coach, Pep Guardiola’s contract renewal, Txiki just said, “It will be done whenever he wants to.”

Asked about loaned out Brazilian striker Keirrison de Souza (20), who is currently out of favour with Portuguese club Benfica, Txiki admitted that “we are facing difficulties (with his case)” and has left open the door for his return to Brazil, where several teams are said to be interested in him.

The technical secretary finally said he hopes Barcelona “continue to be a global benchmark,” reiterating that, “if you play well, in the long run you will win titles and you become the reference for the footballing world. And that is what we want.”

                                                                         
                                                                                        BARÇA WILL WIN

                                                MD relives seven barcelonista decades with seven splendid blaugrana*

                                              All seven legends bet Barça, the team they carry in their hearts, will win

                                                                          Fit: Ibra and Messi, fit again.

                              Iniesta renews his contract until 2015: I’m closer to achieving my dream, which is retire in Barcelona’

                                                                                [Non Barça Related]

                                                  Cristiano: ‘Barça may play better, but Madrid is the leader’

                    *In the picture, from left to right, from down to up: Ramallets, Olivella, Rexach, Carrasco, Amor, Puyol and Muniesa

                                                                                     
                                                    THE CRACKS DON’T WANT TO MISS IT (el Clásico) THEY WILL PLAY!

                                    Messi is way better, Ibra only thinks about winning and Cristiano warns he’ll score “10 goals”

                                      This weekend’s interview: El Tricicle (catalan comic theatre band) Barça will win 5-0 or 3-0.

                                                                    Alves: ‘I’m sure they will respect for us’

                                                                            Txiki: ‘We play better than them’

                                                              Iniesta: ‘I want to finish off this week with a great victory’

                                                                                    [Non Barça Related]

                                                                    Pellegrini asks for character from his team

pacat ca e pina in 2007..