I for one believe it is a smart counter move by Guardiola to seem to be the "victim", the underdog & to call up "historically" political ( Spain - Catalonia) issues to motive his players & not the rest. Although the political issues are out of hand & Football is not a place for theses trivial issues.
What is evident that this semi-final Champions League phase will be tough, competitive, of the maximum level & very, very serious stuff elevating things into the personal level. To a certain point things - the rivalry - has got out of hand & I hope we do not see collateral damage.
Coach Mourinho was first today with press conference duties & went straight for the "jugular vain":"Con las declaraciones de Pep, entramos en una nueva era, en un nuevo grupo en el que sólo está él: criticar el acierto del árbitro. Nunca lo había visto"...translated..."With the declarations of Pep, we enter a new era, a new group with only himself: criticize an accurate referee decision. The never seen before".
A reference to Guardiola´s comment on the disallowed off-side goal by Pedro in the Spanish Cup Final.
The Guardiola press conference was a direct head-on attack to Mourinho, Real Madrid, Spanish "Madrid" Media & Spain. This was certainly unseen & has caught the attention of everyone.
"Mañana nos enfrentamos en el campo a las 20:45; fuera del campo ya me ha ganado"
Tommorrow we´ll meet on the ground at 20.45; outside he has already won.
"En esta sala él es el puto jefe, el puto amo..."
In this room (Real Madrid press room) he is the freaking boss, the f**king owner..."
"Dentro del campo intento aprender mucho cuando juego contra él o cuando le veo por la televisión. Fuera del campo intento aprender poco".Inside the field I learn a lot when we play against each other or when I watch on TV. Outside of the field I try not to learn at all.
If this was aggressive, Guardiola added:
1. Barça will go out to attack
2. Real Madrid is an extraordinary & superb Football Team full of cracks
3. If you meet Real Madrid defensively, they will destroy you
4. Andres Iniesta is 100% not available for the Real Madrid match...
He later returned to an attacking mood & posture:
1. The grass is too high & perhaps UEFA should look at this...
2. Perhaps Real Madrid will end up with 10 men , but that will be there doing...
There was more vicious & venomous pearl comments, but Guardiola ended with a Catalonia "nationalist" quote from Catalan poet Lluis Llach: "hemos caído muchas veces como país y como equipo y luego nos levantamos. Este es un pequeño país que desde mi campanar se ve el campanar de otro pueblo"...we have fallen many a time as a Nation (Catalonia) & as a team we will lift ourselves. This is a small Nation that from my towers view I see the higher tower of another Nation (roughly translated, respecting the poetry of the master Llach)
Admirable from Guardiola , uplifting for his players & his Club, super motivation for his fans...but out off place in Football & a authentic mud fight not of a gentlemans level as of Guardiola level. Jose Mourinho does escape criticism, very harsh, very aggressive & including unsportsmanlike, but this should not surprise us.
Many the better team win, may the match be clean & sportsmanship flow.
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