There are no pre-season friendlies with Guardiola

Barcelona (FCB).- So far, Guardiola’s Barça have played 16 non-official pre-season games and the team have won 12, drawn 3 and have lost only 1, clearly showing the competitive spirit they take into these games.

2008-09: 6 games and 6 wins

Barça coach Pep Guardiola opened his account in Scotland with a 6-0 win against Hibernian. The first game against top level opposition was against Fiorentina in Italy and Barça won 3-1, not with any great flair, but playing very seriously.

The best example of the competitive spirit that Guardiola transmits to his players is the Gamper of that year when Barça were losing 1-0 against Boca Juniors and ended up winning an epic match, with goals from Carles Puyol and Samuel Eto'o, in injury time.

2009/10: Lots of reserves and the only defeat

Guardiola’s second season began with lots of reserve players in the pre-season squad in St. Andrews. Although most of the players were from the reserves, Barça didn’t lose, not event against Tottenham (1-1), who had started their pre-season much earlier. The players put together 3 wins and 2 draws until between the 2 legs of the Spanish Super Cup, they came up against Manchester City in the Gamper. That day, the team lost the only non-official pre-season match with Guardiola as coach (1-0).

2010/11: fewer games following the World Cup

The pre-season last year was atypical, with only 4 preparation matches, and almost inexistent for the World Cup players. However, Guardiola’s Barça didn’t drop their level of commitment and carried on winning, with the exception of the Gamper against AC Milan where they drew (1-1).