“I asked my players to play with responsibility and we did it”. They’re finding out what it’s like to not win almost every week and, having not won any of their last three games, chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge doesn’t like it all too much. “I am here to do the best job possible”.
Advertisement
Losing would put Barca clear on 9 points, and City reeling on 4 points, both sides will be desperate to win the group in order to avoid an unfavourable draw in the round of 16.
They only used it for around a quarter of an hour, but it seemed to accomplish what Guardiola wanted, making Barcelona abandon their typical style for a time, and forcing them to play more directly than they typically wanted.
“There are players at Barcelona that have been here many years and have won the Champions League after doing it once already”.
I can’t see Pep Guardiola going for three at the back like on Saturday.
Next up, is a return to his former club to lock horns with former team-mate Luis Enrique at Barcelona.
“City have changed some players and it’s been two seasons since we played them now”, he said. Barcelona have Spain’s first-choice left-back Jordi Alba who’s more than capable, but more of a conservative winger than a stay-at-home defender.
“But it’s only October, we’ve lost a game, it’s not quarter-finals so in two weeks we have one more game and, of course, we will have to win two games from three to quality for the last 16”. He also talked about how City is a good fit for Guardiola and described the kind of coaches he likes.
The Barcelona manager also discussed how hard life is for a coach who is judged only on the number of matches he wins.
Enrique said: “I was lucky enough to play alongside Pep and share a dressing room with him for Barcelona and the Spanish national team”.
Advertisement
The Champions League, the elite club football competition, always produces some huge matches right from the group stages due to the number of top teams battling it out for the title. Pep is my friend and I think he is the best coach around now, without any doubt. I love his attacking mentality.
