Pep talks up Real Madrid

By ESPNsoccernet staff

After the first leg of the Supercopa ended in a 2-2 draw at the Bernabeu, Guardiola's men remain in a strong position to lift the first silverware of the new season in Spain. However, the Barcelona boss believes his team has a great deal of work still to do, despite the Catalan club recently landing long-time transfer target Cesc Fabregas.

Pep Guardiola has suggested Real Madrid are better than his Barcelona team as both clubs prepare to do battle in the second leg of the Supercopa.

"In the first leg, Madrid were better, in these three days we have improved some things, but I believe they are still better," he said.

"That is the feeling I have, but every match is a story. If the return leg were in two weeks, it would be different. We will have to play better than we did at the Santiago Bernabeu to win the Supercopa.

"We will have to play with the kind of speed we could not put in our game the other day. Three days have passed, we have trained really well."

Meanwhile, Guardiola confirmed he will give Fabregas his first run in a Barcelona jersey after the former Arsenal skipper joined the Spanish giants on Monday.

"He has trained very well, a lot of time alone, and also some bits with the team. He will surely be in the squad, but [Wednesday] we will see if he will play the whole 90 minutes or not."

Fabregas plays down ugly challenge

Fabregas completed his long awaited move to the Camp Nou this Monday, and has already won his first piece of silverware with the club after a Lionel Messi volley in the 88th-minute helped Barca seal a 3-2 win in second leg of the Spanish Supercopa.

However, the match was marred by an ugly incident late on involving the former Arsenal skipper after Madrid's left-back Marcelo dived in dangerously on Fabregas. The Brazilian, along with team-mate Mesut Ozil, was subsequently sent from the pitch once the melee subsided, but Fabregas says it's all part of the derby experience.

"This is very competitive football, we are talking about the two best clubs in the world and every team wants to win. This is normal in football that a situation like this can happen," Fabregas said.

"It's always good to start well, with positive situations like this. I am very happy. They had just scored when I went into the pitch and I was just thinking in helping my team."

Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas also played down the injury-time incident, suggesting Fabregas made the most of the situation.

"In a match like this, there are many interests and of course a conflict can arise," said Casillas. "Marcelo committed a foul and they threw themselves to the ground, like always."

Later images revealed the sideline scuffle also involved Madrid manager Jose Mourinho and Barcelona's assistant coach Tito Vilanova. It appears that Mourinho lunges for Vilanova's head, evidently making contact with his eye, whilst the Barca man retaliated with a slap to the back of Mourinho's head.

By ESPNsoccernet staff

Barcelona's most recent recruit, Cesc Fabregas, believes controversy and heated exchanges are a "normal" part of the intense rivalry the Catalan club shares with Real Madrid.

Mourinho: Supercopa is 'tiny little title'

By ESPNsoccernet staff

Mourinho was involved in a nasty altercation with Barcelona assistant Tito Vilanova during a sideline melee which included players and officials from both clubs. The incident was sparked by a rash challenge from Marcelo on new Barcelona recruit Cesc Fabregas.

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho downplayed the importance of the Spanish Supercopa after his side went down 3-2 in the second leg at the Camp Nou on Wednesday even

However, the 48-year-old manager says the incident, along with the Supercopa trophy itself, means little as the La Liga season looms.

"If we said we are very happy when we do not win a title we would be hypocrites," Mourinho said. "This is a tiny little title, but we are not happy to not have won it, but with the evolution of the team. We played both matches very well, we were fantastic.

"If we look at the matches [against Barcelona] of the last four months, you see there is a great balance. Many draws, one victory for us in a final and one for them today, not to mention the matches which had a story which does not deserve to be told."

Never one to shy away from controversial statements - Mourinho is currently serving a touchline ban in the UEFA Champions League for that reason - the Portuguese tactician took the opportunity after the match to take a swipe at Madrid's fierce rivals.

"From the first minute of the second half, and I will not criticise it, because there are people who do this, the ball boys hid themselves," Mourinho said. "That happens with tiny little teams when they are facing difficulties."

Meanwhile, Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola was less than amused regarding the antics of his Real Madrid counterpart.

"The images speak for themselves," Guardiola told Marca of the incident involving Mourinho and Vilanova. "We must be careful, because one day we will cause harm, not on the field but off, and we're all a little responsible for this."

Barca star Gerard Pique also weighed into the debate, suggesting the Madrid boss is having a negativ

e impact on the game in Spain.

"I do not talk about the brawl. But it's a shame, it is not the first time and it's always the same.

"Someone has to take action on the matter. Mourinho is destroying Spanish football. There is talk about the Catalans, but the problem is with Madrid. I think it's going too far. It cannot always end well. In the end this will end very badly."

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Mourinho 'destroying Spanish football'

By ESPNsoccernet staff


Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has accused Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho of "destroying Spanish football'' following an ill-tempered Supercopa at the Camp Nou.A late volley from Lionel Messi gave Barca a 3-2 victory (5-4 on aggregate) in a second-leg match that saw three players sent off, Cesc Fabregas hacked down on his debut and Mourinho involved in ugly scenes on the sidelines.

The Real coach has become a controversial figure in Spain, just as he was in England and Italy, and a bad-tempered run of five 'clasicos' last season, in which his side had four men sent off, continued in the traditional curtain-raiser to the Spanish season.

A brutal challenge from Marcelo saw the Real defender dismissed in the closing moments of the Supercopa, which was followed by a huge melee involving players, substitutes and staff from both sides, with Mesut Ozil and David Villa both shown red despite having already been substituted.

Mourinho, meanwhile, may come under scrutiny for his role in the fracas as he was pictured heading towards Barca coach Tito Vilanova and making contact with his face. Vilanova responded by pushing Mourinho, who walked away grinning.

After the game, a fuming Pique railed at Madrid's conduct. "I do not talk about the brawl. But it's a shame, it is not the first time and it's always the same," the Barca defender said.

"Someone has to take action on the matter. Mourinho is destroying Spanish football. There is talk about the Catalans, but the problem is with Madrid. I think it's going too far. It cannot always end well. In the end this will end very badly.''

Mourinho's opposite number Pep Guardiola did not wade into the issue but had a word of caution for those involved in the tense atmosphere on the pitch.

"The images speak for themselves,'' he said. "We must be careful, because one day we will cause harm, not on the field but off, and we're all a little responsible for this. ''

Benzema bullish over Supercopa

By ESPNsoccernet staff


Striker Karim Benzema is confident Real Madrid can strike the first blow of the season against fierce rivals Barcelona and win the Spanish Supercopa at the Nou Camp on Wednesday night.Real head to Catalonia for the second leg after being held to a 2-2 home draw by Barca on Sunday. Jose Mourinho's side were, however, the dominant team on their home turf as Barca were cast into an unfamiliar role of playing on the break.

That tactic almost worked with David Villaand Lionel Messi netting after Mesut Ozil's opener, but Xabi Alonso claimed a deserved equaliser for Madrid to enthuse Benzema.

"This is a title that you want to win and the first leg leaves us with plenty of optimism,'' the France international told AS. "It was a very enjoyable game and I think the fans would have liked what they saw on the pitch.

"Two great teams did battle but in all honesty I think Madrid clearly deserved to win. Many things have changed from last season. We had a monopoly on possession and we did not let them play.

"That is exactly what you must do against a team like Barca. We now know that we are more than capable of winning tomorrow and lifting the Supercopa. I am sure that the second leg will be an open game and we will go for victory.''

Benzema's first-leg performance was notable for the amount of defensive work he was employed to do. There have been rumours in the past that he has not always been pleased with his role under Mourinho, however, the 23-year-old said he was happy to do whatever was asked of him.

"I've said several times that I have never had any problems with Mourinho,'' he added. "I have spoken to him and now I understand perfectly what is expected of me.

"I defended a lot (in the first leg). It was all planned in the tactical scheme decided by the coach. He asked to push hard up front to slow the ball. I think we did well.''