In an interview with news agency ‘Europa Press’, FC Barcelona assistant coach, Tito Vilanova said he is certain it will be “very difficult” for other teams to repeat the Catalan team’s achievements.

“Every club has its own policy but I think we should feel especially proud that what we achieve last season was won with so many players who were produced here in the past. The Champions League final, for example, was played with up to seven or eight former canteranos, which is unique. Of course there will be teams that will win as many titles as we did last season, but hardly any will do it with as many home-grown players or with a football philosophy as this one,” Vilanova said.

Asked how Barcelona managed to raise so many successful canteranos, Vilanova said, “What is very clear is that the players produced here knows, better than anyone else, Barcelona’s playing style and its football philosophy because they lived through it from since when they are young. Everyone has his thing, but they always maintain the same footballing concept”.

Vilanova also emphasised Pep Guardiola’s belief in taking things slowly: “We have to continue with the same plan that we took last season, one that worked so well for us and that is to tackle one match at a time”.

Speaking about the difficulties faced by Barcelona in the Champions League, he said, “Look at the other groups. You can see that there is (at least) one strong, one medium and an easy team. In our case there are none. The one that everyone thought was easy (Rubin) had taken five points from us and if they are an easy opponent, surely we would have got maximum points and would have already qualified”.

Vilanova described the absence of Keita and Toure during the African Nations Cup as a big loss for the team: “We haven’t thought about what we’ll do when that time comes. I guess we will have to rely on our reserves”.

Finally, asked about El Clasico, and the crisis facing Real Madrid, he said, “What happens is that, nowadays, the most recent result can either give you a difficult time or a big moment, and this occurs every week,” adding, “The Barca – Madrid match, is always a low-scoring match, but it can also be the opposite, depending on the result obtained in the matchday preceding it. Coming into the match with one, two or three points advantage are not the same (psychologically), and it is for this reason that the match against Athletic Bilbao is of vital importance”.