Barça’s coach, Pep Guardiola reckons that his team’s hunger for success will be key on Saturday at the Champions League final against Manchester United: “I want them to be conscious of what we are playing for”, he told reporters at the Camp Nou this evening. FC Barcelona travels on Tuesday night to London, due to the volcanic ash cloud.
The hero of Stamford Bridge is going back to London for the Champions League final. After starring in the Rome final and scoring the winner in the World Cup final, Iniesta says that “all I want to do is win. These things don’t happen all the time”.
FC Barcelona have won their 21st Spanish League title, and it’s now three-out-of-three for manager Josep Guardiola, who has produced a winning style that has amazed the footballing world.
FC Barcelona need just one point to mathematically win the Spanish League title, but Guardiola says “we need to be well prepared mentally because you have to win points, they don’t give them away”. However, if Real Madrid does not win all the 9 points still to be decided, Barça will become this year’s champion.
FC Barcelona and Manchester United will meet in the 2011 Champions League Final on May 28th at Wembley Stadium – the 11th time the two teams have met in Europe and the 8th game between them in the Champions League. This year final repeats the Champions League final of 2009, when Barça won United by 2-0.
Barça have qualified for the Champions League final at the expense of Real Madrid following tonight’s draw at the Camp Nou. Pedro scored the winner for a side that dominated the possession and produced most of the chances.
FC Barcelona look to build on their 0-2 lead from last week when they take on Real Madrid this evening (20.45h CET) in the fourth and final ‘clásico’ between the two sides over the last few weeks. Guardiola welcomes back Iniesta and Abidal to the squad.
Barça trained on the Nou Camp pitch on Monday evening ahead of their Champions League semi final second leg against Real Madrid. The great news for Guardiola was that Iniesta and Abidal trained normally and are in the squad for the Champions League game against Mourinho's Real Madrid.
Catalan and FC Barcelona flags, as well as a message of thanks formed by 95,000 cards handed out to the fans will greet the team at the Nou Camp on Tuesday. It will cheer the team before the Champions League game against Real Madrid. Fans can take part in this homage to the team via Twitter, with the hashtag #graciesequip.
Barça's coach Josep Guardiola hasn’t been distracted by Mourinho's controversy and the complaints before UEFA. On Saturday, FC Barcelona can go a big step further to the league title at Anoeta, and the coach guarantees that his players’ only concern is that game.
FC Barcelona will present an official complaint about the Real Madrid manager to UEFA’s Control and Disciplinary Body for what it considers “a violation of basic standards of behaviour”. The UEFA already decided to look on Wednesday's events. In the evening, it was known that Real Madrid also decided to file a complaint against Barça players for going against fair-play. The latter accusation seems quite surprising after having watched the game and Real Madrid's behaviour on and outside the pitch.
FC Barcelona gave a footballing lesson at the Real Madrid’ stadium Santiago Bernabeu, climaxing in two Leo Messi goals -one of which will surely go down as a classic- that put them in the driving seat for a place in the Wembley final ahead of next week’s second leg at the Nou Camp.
Madrid and Barça face each other yet again this evening, this time in the Champions League semi finals (20.45h CET). The two opposing styles are once again about to clash at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, with FC Barcelona missing the injured Iniesta.
FC Barcelona made it into the semi finals of the Champions League without having to suffer for it by winning 1-0 away to Shakhtar. A Messi goal before the break banished any fears of the Ukrainians putting together a comeback.
Despite the 5-1 lead from the first leg, Pep Guardiola continues to preach caution: “in football and in sport as a whole, anything can happen”, whilst stressing the importance of Tuesday’s game :”we are on the verge of reaching the semis for the fourth year on the run”.