In the Copa del Rey pre-match press conference today, Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola said that despite the usual rotation of players he used for the tournament, the team will take the match tomorrow night as seriously as they would a Champions League knock-out round, stressing that “there are no tournaments or matches less important than others.”

“We are much mistaken if we think the Copa is less of a priority. We will treat the match as we always do with any match.”

Guardiola nevertheless reminded those present that being two-leg, the match will not be decided tomorrow: “We neither resolved it when we faced Cultural, nor can we with Sevilla.”

The Barcelona coach is also confident that the team is able to cope with the hectic schedules of this month – physically and mentally, but acknowledged the pressure they have to go through: “All those wins that we achieved, they have cost us a lot”

“We have to compete for every match well as no one is going to give us a gift when we have not earned it.”

Asked about Messi’s fitness – he injured his ankle before the Club World Cup – Guardiola took the opportunity to praise the Argentine’s attitude instead: “When you receive so many awards, there can be a tendency to lose focus and be complacent, but his attitude has been exemplary – and it is demonstrated by his willingness to work hard.”

“He’ll go crazy whenever he sees a ball. He’s so passionate about his profession that we don’t need to tell him anything more than necessary. We just need to ensure he is fit by minimising his injuries.”

Touching on his defenders, Guardiola said that Rafael Márquez is “doing very well” and Gabriel Milito is “getting better every day.”

As for Bojan – a regular starter for Copa but not Liga or Champions League matches, the coach encouraged him to keep on proving himself in training and when given playing chances, and never to “give up” his fight to secure more minutes.

Questioned about Barcelona’s opponent tomorrow night, Guardiola merely said, “Just like what the Sevilla president said, ‘they have the best squad of Spain’. For many years, they were one of the top teams, and were impressive in the Champions League.”

“It is going to be a fascinating knock-out match.”

Asked about the problems of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s temperament, Guardiola said, “He is a born winner. I feel sorry for him that he was reprimanded so often just because he’s taller than his opponent.”

“In normal circumstances, strikers all over the world – including those from Real Madrid, are usually given more fouls for than fouls against. But all those attributes will be of good use when we come up against ‘big’ teams.”

Touching on the poor refereeing in the match against Villarreal, Guardiola refused to entertain the matter: “It is up to us to determine whether we win or lose, not the referees.”

“But when a team has for 17 months over 60 per cent of possession, it is more likely to receive more fouls than commit them, unless we did it on purpose.”

He nevertheless complimented Villarreal for the numerous difficulties faced by his team in that match saying, “It was more because of the merits that they have than our short-comings. We should be prepared for any kind of adversaries.”

Guardiola concluded the media session by answering a persistent subject – his contract renewal, in a very ironic manner: “I don’t think the people are worried about it, they have other things to think about.”

And asked if he could feel the apprehension of the fans in his everyday life, the Santpedor-born coach just said, “I haven’t noticed anything because I have no friends, and I don’t usually take a walk in the street.” – Obviously annoyed.

Despite persistent rumours to the otherwise, FC Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola is again reiterating that he is satisfied with the players that he has, and insists he can always summon Barca Atletic’s players to cover for any short-falls in the squad – as is the case during this African Nations Cup tournament period.

“If it was necessary, I probably would have considered signing someone, but for a month, it is not worth it. I am well served, I can’t complain. I have a good squad that can always be supplemented with reserve players. For a month, I prefer to give them a chance, and I know they will do well,” was his answer to a question during a press conference earlier today.

Confident that the cantera players can fill in for absences of Malian Seydou Keita and Ivorian Yaya Toure, Guardiola said Jonathan dos Santos (19) and Thiago Alcantara (18) will remain with the first team throughout the month of January as he has “great faith” in them. The coach is also enlisting the services of Victor Vazquez (22) and Gai Assulin (18), who were invited to train along, but will only be used when he needs them.

Catalan sports paper, Sport, reports that Barcelona midfielder and Ivorian international Yaya Toure (26) has been voted as the best football player in Ivory Coast. The award was given to Toure for playing an important part in the golden season of FC Barcelona. Ivorian newspaper, Supersport, published the results of the voting, which you can see after the break.

1. Yaya Toure, FC Barcelona, 142 votes

2. Didier Drogba, Chelsea, 110 votes

3. Gervinho, Lille, 65 votes

4. Koffi Romaric (Sevilla) and Doumbia (Young Boys), 27 votes

In an exclusive report published by Catalan sports paper Sport, FC Barcelona are reportedly scouting the “new Lionel Messi”. The youngster in question, is 12-year-old Guido Vadala of Rosario, Argentina (incidentally, the same city from which Messi hails) and the youngster has already visited Barcelona to be assessed by the club’s scouting staff.

According to the Rosario publication La Capital, Guido began playing football in Rosario and currently plays at Provincial. The boy’s father recounts the experience of visiting Barcelona in May. “We were in Barcelona’s facilities for 15 days and Guido participated in a couple of training sessions, during which he was enamored by the Catalans. He earned a place by demonstrating his style of play and he convinced the coordinator and group of trainers. Everyone gave the OK for him to return.”

However, he was quick to express that the youngster certainly had other suitors and if they wanted him, Barcelona would have to fight for him. “We are in a favourable position since it is not only Barcelona that want him, as other prestigious institutions are interested. Barcelona were the first to express interest and have already offered residency for the entire family. At the time, we were tentative about the offer for fear of having to leave my job. However, things have changed with respect to my profession and now I could easily transfer to Europe. At the moment, Juventus, Inter and Atalanta are very interested in having Guido to play in Italy.”

When speaking of his son’s apparent likeness to Messi, Guido’s father was somewhat hesitant. “Many people speak of the similarities between the two, and this makes me happy to hear since his (Guido’s) dream is to triumph in football. However, it is very premature to say such a thing. He has earned a lot of praise, but he has told me that he only wants to enjoy himself right now and, as his father, I want the same for my son.”

Except for the injured winger Jeffren Suarez and the two African players, FC Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has this afternoon held the last group training session, before the Copa match against Sevilla, at the Camp Nou – as is usually the case for home matches – for the rest of the first team members and the 4 summoned Barca Atletic’s players, reports both Catalan sports papers Sport and El Mundo Deportivo.

Left-back Eric Abidal, who had been training away from the team for the past couple of days due to a slight hamstring discomfort in his thigh has, it seems, been given the all-clear.

Done in the rain, the session focused on refining the team’s strategy for tonight’s game.

According to the Royal Spanish Football Federation’s (RFEF) regulation, Guardiola can submit an 18-player squad list as tonight’s Copa match will be contested between two Primera Liga sides; unlike for a match against a lower division side, where only 16 players are allowed.

The 22 players available for selection are:
Goalkeepers Valdes and Pinto;
Defenders Alves, Puyol, Chygrynskiy, Pique, Marquez, Milito, Maxwell and Abidal;
Midfielders Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Jonathan, Thiago and Vazquez;
Forwards Messi, Ibrahimovic, Henry, Pedro, Bojan and Gai.

In one session of the press conference yesterday, FC Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola touched on the 4 cantera players’ potentials – Barca Atletic’s players that he enlisted as covers for the month of January. His message to them was clear: “Seize the opportunity and make full use of it.”

Of the four that he summoned since the first day of training after the holidays, the coach has indicated that midfielders Jonathan dos Santos (19) and Thiago Alcantara (18) “will remain until such time Touré and Keita returns.”

“Then we will decide if they shall stay or if they should go back to the reserves. It depends on what they can do in the next few weeks. If they integrate well, at all levels needed to play in the first team, they will find it a lot easier to be a part of this team.”

As shown by dos Santos inclusion in the starting line-up for the Villarreal match last weekend, opportunities will come for these players. In fact, the match was the Mexican-born player’s debut in the first team in an official match, and he played for 60 minutes – a break-through and a recognition of his abilities.

“As I have always said at the start of the season, they should not think too much about playing (full time). If they are here, they will have the minutes, but at their age, they just need to train a lot (to improve themselves).”

Touching on the Brazilian-born Thiago Alcántara, Guardiola said: “If he is here, it is because he has sufficiently matured to play with us.”

Admitting that there are just no place for all four of them, the coach also acknowledged that midfielder Víctor Vázquez (22) and winger Gai Assulin (18) will have, for now, be used only occasionally, but nevertheless is hopeful of their potential: “This is a fantastic generation, the kind that produced us players like Piqué, Cesc and Leo. They all have enormous talent, and unluckily for Vazquez, he had a very serious injury (ed. hence his age). We prefer that they train with us …not as a reward but as a way of gauging and improving their capabilities. But I have to admit they are players of whom I have a high regard for.”

“I know a lot about their progression, either because I have coached them or I have heard and read glowing reports about them. They might fail, but it will be a lot easier for them make the team if they join us, and for us to guide them. Even Xavi, Sergio and Iniesta had to go through periods like these …”

Meanwhile, Barca Atletic’s coach Luis Enrique, endorsed the decision made by Guardiola, when asked by Catalan Radio ‘RAC 1’ a few days ago: “They need time as they are very interesting players who could one day be an integral part of the Barcelona team, without a doubt. I remember Gabri, Xavi, Puyol … to the time when they were just breaking through. They just have to be patient, as it is a natural process. They have all earned this opportunity as they have already come so far.”

“I can be a leader and the challenge of earning liberty for my country (Catalunya) is very attractive to me. It is what I want for my homeland.“

Joan Laporta, FC Barcelona, on his possible candidacy in the Catalunyan elections in an interview with El Mundo Deportivo.

Bojan and his look-a-like