Guardiola warns Barca to finish job

Hosts to face Real in Champions League semi-final today.

BARCELONA:

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola says his team’s weekend defeat by Real Sociedad was a warning ahead of today’s second leg of their Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid.

Last week they came out on top in a first-leg that was characterised more by cynical challenges and play-acting than on-pitch excitement.

Pepe was controversially dismissed after Barcelona full-back Dani Alves over-reacted to a challenge by the Portuguese international. Barcelona’s goal-keeper Jose Pinto had earlier been given a red card for his part in a scuffle and Mourinho himself was sent to the stands after venting his fury at the referee.

The game’s saving grace was the performance of Lionel Messi, who scored a double, the second being an excellent run where he slalomed through the heart of the Real defence.

Barca on top

Barca are now in the driving seat to win a league and Champions League double, with an eight-point lead in La Liga after both they and Real surprisingly lost at the weekend.

“This was a lesson for us showing that nothing has been done yet,” said Guardiola. “Madrid are a very good team  so we have to keep our heads. We’ll have some tough moments and we will need the support of our fans.”

Barca went into their match in relaxed mood, with Real having already lost 3-2 at home to a Real Zaragoza side fighting for their top-flight survival.

Real aim for comeback

The Real players, still angered by the first-leg dismissal of Pepe, say they will go to Camp Nou full of belief despite needing to win by two clear goals to turn the tie around.

“We feel that we can do it and also in the [domestic] league,” said Kaka. “Until it is mathematically impossible we are not going to give anything up, although we cannot afford to make mistakes.”

Real will be without the suspended Sergio Ramos and Pepe, while German central midfielder Sami Khedira is injured. For Barca, attacking midfielder Andres Iniesta and centre-back Carles Puyol are fighting to be fit in time.



Published in The Express Tribune, May 3^rd, 2011.