“I’ve been successful at Manchester United for many years and it’s not without its problems – every hour of every day you… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“The players are made of skin and bone and they too like this contact. Even if it is a slap. Pep touches… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“the attacking players would need to become the best defenders; and the defenders would have to become the first line of attack,… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Thirdly – and crucial for Pep’s position as the midfielder in front of the back four – he had to dispatch the… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“The pre-match talks are in the hotel if it is an away game, or, if it is a home game, in the… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Guardiola believed in handing greater responsibility to the footballers, trusting that their intuition could help solve a great amount of their problems.… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Failure is when a player does not have a good training session, when the coach relaxes and stops caring, when the team… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“More than ever we must move, move, move and constantly create superiority. We’ll open up the pitch and we’ll look for the… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Each player must be convinced that what he does is the best thing for him, for his team-mates and for the general… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“According to the principles Johan Cruyff introduced to Barcelona, coaches should lead by example: play football, be on the field during training… — 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
“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
“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
“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 realised that one of the few weaknesses of the Atlético defence was with second balls. They defended so deep that… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“I saw Guardiola as a mystical type of person. The way he dressed – always in black – he was sometimes very… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Rijkaard and Ten Cate made the perfect double act; the ultimate good cop/bad cop routine, but without Henk banging his fist on… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Barça had finished the league eighteen points behind Madrid the previous season and, at times like that, sportsmen typically need somebody to… — 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
“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
“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
“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
“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
“You could play the ball with advantage not only because of the pass, but because of your positioning on the pitch and… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“There is not a single trainer, nor player, that can guarantee success at the start of a season,’ Guardiola wrote a decade… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“within that meticulous preparation there co-existed a high degree of expression, always bearing in mind that this is football, that players must… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“The same amount of time and study was dedicated to trying to find the weaknesses and Achilles heels of every opponent, no… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“At the end of his spell in Argentina he felt that he was better prepared than ever before; not totally, because Pep… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Guardiola told me that if there is a hint of disharmony within the group he removes it, as he did with Eto’o… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Pep organised his attack (creating the conditions for one v ones, or looking for superiority across the pitch) in a way that… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Ferran Soriano, who said privately at the time: ‘The Mourinho brand, added to the Barça brand, has the potential to make our… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“Guardiola has taken certain areas to another level – such as pressing the ball – and Barcelona’s disciplined style of play and… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“With Pep’s help and his own intuition, Messi started playing football with an accordion-like movement: the further the ball was away from… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“I only ask this of you. I won’t tell you off if you misplace a pass, or miss a header that costs… — Guillem Balague Copy Share Image
“He was given one more chance, invited back for a third day. The coach moved him into central midfield where, suddenly, Pep… — 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
