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Barca coach satisfied despite loss to Man City

SoccerNews in English Premier League, La Liga 20 Aug 2009

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Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said he was happy with his young team’s performance despite losing 1-0 to Manchester City, and appealed for patience from fans over new star signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Bulgarian winger Martin Petrov scored in the 28th minute against the run of play to beat the Spanish and European champions and take the annual pre-season Joan Gamper Trophy for the big-spending English Premiership side on Wednesday.

Guardiola brought in a lot of young reserve team players and left many of his big stars on the bench.

“I am very happy with their performance, young players facing a quality team like Manchester City. We are fortunate to have a good pool,” he said.

“I made many changes, and the youngsters responded very well.”

The most anticipated moment came in the second half, when Ibrahimovic and Argentine Lionel Messi, two of the top-rated strikers in the world, came on.

The Swede almost scored in the 74th minute, but his shot lacked force.

It was his first match for the club since his transfer from Inter Milan this summer and since undergoing surgery on a broken hand last month.

Guardiola appealed to fans to give him some time to adapt.

“He has come for four or five years, not for one day,” he said, adding that combining with his teammates “takes a bit of learning.”

The player himself said he is just trying to find his “rythmn” in the new team.

“I played 45 minutes and I tried not to think about the injury to my hand. It bothered me a bit, but I play with my feet not with my hands.”

The Catalan giants, who won a unique treble of Spanish league, Cup and European Champions League last season, face Athletic Bilbao on Sunday in the return leg of the Spanish Supercup.

On August 28, they play Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk in the European Supercup.

The Spanish league season begins on the weekend of August 29-30.

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  • ernest

    0 0

    hey am happe u got my point now, yahh i do understant that both teams will find it hard to adapt the players both thant not beein the major issue here beein a good player always show his talent nomatter way he plays. so we just have to wait and see how it goes with both of them on the either sides.

  • gooner-11

    0 0

    its mistake in terminology then… well, i think.
    for me, when i hear someone speak of “playmakers” , it refers to more of a set-up man, or a passer. there are all sorts of player qualities, but its still a team sport though.
    and you do not need to tell me that coaches want the strikers to score.

    dont worry, it is obvious eto’o is a great scorer but it just seemed to me that he was at the receiving end of other players great plays which he didn’t necessarily create, more often than not.. i would not be suprised if he does not score as many goals this year, depending on what moves either team can still make, and i can’t see barca suffering after this ‘trade’.

    having said that, neither barca or inter should really be considered short of a striker in a ibrahimovic-eto’o swap, especially after one preseason game, so this whole discussion is basically pointless.

  • ernest

    0 0

    all the new signins in barca have atleast play 1 or 2 marchies but non of them heva make a goal yet, but eto’o have make a goal in his debut. so that is wat any coach want from his striker, no coach will never use any striker that does not score and leave out a striker that make goals. that the defference.

  • ernest

    0 0

    hey men, went we talk of soccer we talk of who score the goals not who play the highest, ok, let look at it this way, if u have 80% of the game, and i have 20% and i have 2 goals and u have no 1, who is the winner? so that is to tell u that the goal scorer is the playmaker in a game, so as from now know u that eto’o was the playmaker in barcau know wat men watch him play in inter and watch barca this season u sport out his absent. serieA start today 22/08/009,get back soon.

  • Gooner-11

    0 0

    I totally disagree, i think he was more the finisher and still there are plenty more playmakers in Barca. 39 goals and 6 assists in all 49 games last year, not to mention 174 shots taken…actually, perhaps mourinho should have him work on his aim, haha.

  • Ernest

    0 0

    without eto’o in barca, barca will never be the same again, it will take the many years to get the same squad they had last season, that guy was a playmaker in barca, now he is gone due to coach Gaduola, well i wish them good luck, but i still suport barca,i love the way style eto’o plays and i love him very much am going to miss him in barca,

  • Ernest

    0 0

    without eto’o in barca, barca will never be the same again, it will take the many years to get the same squad they had last season, that guy was a playmaker in barca, now he is gone due to coach Gaduola, well i wish them good luck, but i still suport barca,i love the way style eto’o plays and i love him very much am going to miss him in barca,

  • Gooner-11

    0 0

    I totally disagree, i think he was more the finisher and still there are plenty more playmakers in Barca. 39 goals and 6 assists in all 49 games last year, not to mention 174 shots taken…actually, perhaps mourinho should have him work on his aim, haha.

  • ernest

    0 0

    hey men, went we talk of soccer we talk of who score the goals not who play the highest, ok, let look at it this way, if u have 80% of the game, and i have 20% and i have 2 goals and u have no 1, who is the winner? so that is to tell u that the goal scorer is the playmaker in a game, so as from now know u that eto’o was the playmaker in barcau know wat men watch him play in inter and watch barca this season u sport out his absent. serieA start today 22/08/009,get back soon.

  • ernest

    0 0

    all the new signins in barca have atleast play 1 or 2 marchies but non of them heva make a goal yet, but eto’o have make a goal in his debut. so that is wat any coach want from his striker, no coach will never use any striker that does not score and leave out a striker that make goals. that the defference.

  • gooner-11

    0 0

    its mistake in terminology then… well, i think.
    for me, when i hear someone speak of “playmakers” , it refers to more of a set-up man, or a passer. there are all sorts of player qualities, but its still a team sport though.
    and you do not need to tell me that coaches want the strikers to score.

    dont worry, it is obvious eto’o is a great scorer but it just seemed to me that he was at the receiving end of other players great plays which he didn’t necessarily create, more often than not.. i would not be suprised if he does not score as many goals this year, depending on what moves either team can still make, and i can’t see barca suffering after this ‘trade’.

    having said that, neither barca or inter should really be considered short of a striker in a ibrahimovic-eto’o swap, especially after one preseason game, so this whole discussion is basically pointless.

  • ernest

    0 0

    hey am happe u got my point now, yahh i do understant that both teams will find it hard to adapt the players both thant not beein the major issue here beein a good player always show his talent nomatter way he plays. so we just have to wait and see how it goes with both of them on the either sides.

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