On the eve of his team’s match against Tunisia at the Lluis Companys Stadium, in Montjuïc, Johan Cruyff, Catalunya’s coach, appeared on Catalunya Radio to say that with over 30,000 tickets sold “the aim is to give a show so the people that come can have a good time,” and he thanked the gesture of the players who are willing to “come without pay as a treat, and all because they love their country.”

“Even though we already have some fantastic players here, no one would hate to have an Iniesta or Messi on the pitch. For the time they have been here, they could just become citizens,” he suggested jokingly later.

On the rival, Tunisia, fresh off a 0-2 win over the Euskadi, the Basque Country team, Cruyff said that they “must have respect for the opponent, for they are also preparing for the African Cup, and therefore are seeking opponents who are strong. I’m pretty certain they will play a defensive game and will be very organised at the back.”

As for his team’s game plan, he said it “will be based on possession, through control of the ball, [and] making use of the very good qualities our players have.”

Cruyff also said he’ll likely give the same kind of pep talk he gave his players before the ’92 European Cup Final at Wembley: “Yes, ‘the go out there, play and enjoy yourself’, but that also means being very focused. And it is also paramount that we take care of our players, especially those of Barça and Espanyol, who have a packed schedule ahead of them.”

Moving on, Cruyff talks of his awe of Guardiola and his team, “Pep’s Team”: “He, who is a fan of this sport, marvels at what Pep is doing. To watch Barcelona play is a pleasure. They have a perfect connection [with each other].”

Adding that, through experience, Guardiola has become a very good football strategist, which is something “one cannot buy but has to live through. A football team that has total superiority in only one way of playing, when comes a time it doesn’t work anymore, will have to seek more ammunition, [and] it is through good technical and tactical preparation of the players. That’s because the players can be moved about on the pitch… you can always rearrange them.”

“In the last game, Alves, who is a fullback, ended up being the most advanced forward. All of them gelling together while dominating their part of their pitch, and you have to play like that.”

Touching on the subject of their arch-rival, the Dutchman said: “Quality-wise, Madrid is a very difficult rival. No one is disputing the fact that they are a great side. It is just unfortunate that they have to face up against [this] Barcelona [side]. In any other league they would have been the best team. However, the most dangerous games are like those against Getafe, for you can never ask your players to be at their 100%, 365 days a year. That said, against an opponent like Madrid, the players need no extra motivation.”

Asked to name a team he thinks is the best of all time, Cruyff, without naming one specifically, made an interesting point: “It goes through time… each era has a team that stands out: Milan, Ajax, the Dream Team… The curious thing is that in each of these cases there were always 6 or 7 home-grown players in them. Which is why I am surprised we continue to buy so much. For the best teams in the past 40 years have always had a good base of home-grown players.”

As about his relationship with the club, Johan Cruyff said that “it is continuing as before” as his foundation is mutually linked to it. Nevertheless, he revealed that the club has yet to send “some €150,000” that he said though ” not significant” is regrettable because “by acting like that they are only harming the children of Catalunya itself, who are the truly disadvantaged.”

While refusing to touch on the subject of Pep Guardiola’s renewal, or who he believes is the best to succeed him, as a final note, he did point out that “Xavi has the vision to be a good coach, but he still needs many other things like confidence, trusting his own judgment, knowing how to manage a group of people and their egos… all of which is a complex task.”

Source: Sport.es; Image: EFE