“He was a bit like me. You must have a lot of technique, move the ball quickly, avoid a collision – and… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“We are one. We are not little groups because in all teams this is what ends up killing team spirit.” — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“I became a coach because I thought I could dominate the game with what I say, what I do, what we train… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“You get the player, based on what we need, and I will make it work,’ has always been his take on signings.” — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“We have to be able to dominate the game, and make sure that we aren’t dominated ourselves.” — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“For Guardiola, tactical concepts are taken in if the players have the right attitude and understand what they are doing.” — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“In the junior categories we wanted to mould the player. You must know what his strengths and weaknesses are, work on them… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“I always try and give the players the security of knowing what they’ll encounter. This increases the possibility of doing things well.” — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Jerome Boateng spoke pre-season after the World Cup in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and described how Guardiola told him in every training… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“some key principles were quickly instilled in him: ‘Don’t stamp on anybody but don’t let anybody stamp on you; keep your head… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“It is better for a player to lose the ball when he is dribbling, feeling over-confident, than for a blunder, a mistake… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“The German team became more German than ever. They used in their performance the ‘Mia San Mia’ motto that the players wear… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“He represents the values and feelings of Barcelona. Attacking football, respect for team-mates, respect for the fans. And now he was going… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“anxiety to become good enough for Johan Cruyff to notice us cannot be put into words. Without that desire, none of us… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Ronaldo also dropped deep to receive the ball, turn round and run towards goal – and he always found space as the… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“It is important in football, as in any walk of life, to appear calm in times of crisis. To hide weaknesses. Pep… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Rijkaard was aware of the stars’ behaviour, but indulged them, ever the optimist that the players were mature and responsible enough to… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“When we have the ball, we can’t lose it. And when that happens, run and get it back. That is it, basically.’… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Pep had analysed Real Madrid in detail and, an hour and a half before the game, he got Messi, Xavi and Iniesta… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Bielsa’s teams ‘can play badly or well, but talent depends on the inspiration and the effort depends on each one of the… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“We’re thinking about the squad without them,’ Pep announced during his presentation, flanked by the club president, Joan Laporta, and sporting director,… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“The secret is in the details and in observing a lot. You have to pay a great deal of attention, constantly, to… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Abidal explains that before he arrived at Barcelona, every time he was called into action on the pitch, as a defender he’d… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“From his very first day in the job as coach, Pep went out of his way to appeal to the feelings of… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“His philosophy is clear: first we should have the ball. With it, the opponent suffers and we have everything under control. Secondly,… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“When Pep signed a marketing agreement with Sabadell Bank, committing to a number of lectures and personal interviews as part of the… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Guardiola immediately set about introducing a series of habits, working practices, systems and methodologies acquired after a career working with a variety… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Guardiola remained a lanky teenager with little muscle mass, the opposite of the ideal footballer’s stature. But great art is always born… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“he wanted to confirm a personal theory: that a reserve team, like any other, could serve as a university of football; because… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“My role was to move the ball around the pitch for my team-mates to finish off the move,’ he says. The” — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Ramon Besa put it wonderfully: ‘He is a bit of a Quixote. In an era of fast food, Pep wants degustation football,… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“In the end, Pep won most of the doubters over with a clever ploy, a few well-chosen words and a single bold… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“What makes you grow is defeat, making mistakes. It is what keeps you alert. When you win you think: “Great, we’ve won.” — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“If each person does their job, and they know what it is because I make sure they know, then we are a… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Regarding positional play, he insisted on making sure the player stayed in his corresponding area, especially when the ball was lost.” — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“He could live with them playing badly now and again, he told them, but he demanded 100 per cent on the pitch… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“a passer of the ball positioned in front of the defence who could provide the platform from which every Barcelona attack would… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Pep realised that in order to make the team a success he needed to add intensity and an increased work rate to… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Superiority in midfield, as predicted by Pep, was the key to the game.” — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“He said that if you pass the ball well, you receive it well and have good control; then you have far more… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“The German team became more German than ever. They used in their performance the ‘Mia San Mia’ motto that the players wear on their… — Guillem Balague Copy Share
“Before heading out on to the pitch, Johan Cruyff gave his players a simple instruction: ‘Go out there and enjoy yourselves.’ It was a… — Guillem Balague Copy Share
“Ronaldo also dropped deep to receive the ball, turn round and run towards goal – and he always found space as the centre backs… — Guillem Balague Copy Share
“It is better for a player to lose the ball when he is dribbling, feeling over-confident, than for a blunder, a mistake due to… — Guillem Balague Copy Share
“We have to transmit trust and security in all the decisions we make. ‘That trust, security and sincerity are the fundamental pillars for a… — Guillem Balague Copy Share
“On one occasion Guardiola explained that there are two types of coaches: those who think problems solve themselves and those who solve problems. Guardiola… — Guillem Balague Copy Share
“He could live with them playing badly now and again, he told them, but he demanded 100 per cent on the pitch in every… — Guillem Balague Copy Share
“The coach sat down with president Laporta, Beguiristain and Estiarte in the suite of the hotel in which the team were staying in the… — Guillem Balague Copy Share
“Failure is when a player does not have a good training session, when the coach relaxes and stops caring, when the team doesn’t care… — Guillem Balague Copy Share
“Ingla and Txiki set out a plan for the rest of the season which saw them working and consulting simultaneously with both Rijkaard and… — Guillem Balague Copy Share
“Searching for that flash of inspiration, that moment, the magical moment: ‘I’ve got it. I’ve got it. This is how we are going to… — Guillem Balague Copy Share
“The players who go through La Masía are taught to behave with civility and humility. The theory being that, not only is it pleasant… — Guillem Balague Copy Share
“In future they must place themselves more cleverly to receive the pass, and to start pressuring their opponents more quickly.” — Guillem Balague Copy Share
“I saw Guardiola as a mystical type of person. The way he dressed – always in black – he was sometimes very quiet, constantly… — Guillem Balague Copy Share
“What you can’t do is study the talks, learn them by heart. Two or three concepts are all you need . . . and then you… — Guillem Balague Copy Share
