Thursday, September 2, 2010

Pep Guardiola was not surprised after his Barcelona side roared back from their midweek Euro setback by hitting Real Zaragoza for six.

The Barca boss was aware that some of his players had come in for criticism after their surprising loss to Russia’s Rubin Kazan in the Champions League. Even star youngster Lionel Messi copped some flak after the shock home defeat.

But Guardiola said he was never worried about his team, or his star player, after the La Liga champions hit back with a 6-1 win at Camp Nou.

“So often, things that are bad come good,” said Guardiola. “Bad play occasionally comes in handy for moving forward. “It was never in doubt,” the coach added, referring to Messi’s performance.

“Leo is a person who would play at all hours and, when not at his best...he should be encouraged.”

Messi scored one to add to a hat-trick from Mali international Seydou Keita and a brace from Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. And the 22-year-old admitted: “That was better. After returning to the team (from Argentina) I was a little low, you saw this against Valencia, but it’s better to be quiet and against Zaragoza things went well for me,” added Messi. “This coming week I will rest and I’ll come good. The support of my colleagues was very important, that is what matters to me. And the coach, not only on but off the pitch. He is a caring human being and supported me a lot.

“We have to keep doing our thing, keep playing as usual and not care what they say because if you do, you’d go mad. I heard nothing of crisis inside the club.”

Keita’s memorable hat-trick - his first ever - took his season tally to five. And he also backed Guardiola and Messi’s cast-iron belief in the team.   

“Doubts? I don’t think we had any doubts to be honest,” said Keita. “We showed that we are a great team and go out to win.

“On a personal level I am happy with my first hat-trick although I am not really a goal-scorer.”

Barcelona now sit three points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the Primera Liga, with just two dropped points after eight rounds of football. And Barca president Joan Laporta knew his side would respond to their 2-1 defeat to Russians Kazan.

“We put in a perfect performance and we were clearly deserved winners,” he said. “The players were especially motivated after Tuesday’s result and they showed that was just a slip up. There’s a long way to go yet. We are playing well and with the same attitude we showed last year.”

Spanish international David Villa returned with a bang, scoring his seventh goal of the season as Valencia defeated ten-man Almeria 3-0 to move into the top four.

Villa missed the 0-0 draw with Barcelona due to a thigh injury but started against Almeria and headed in on 54 minutes before Pablo Hernandez scored a 35-yard chip and Juan Mata completed the scoring.

“This was an important game for and three points that could make the difference between Champions League football at the end of the season,” said Valencia coach Unai Emery.

Elsewhere, Deportivo La Coruna saw a four-game winning run come to an end in emphatic fashion, crashing to a 4-0 defeat at Valladolid.

“Nobody here is talking about the Champions League,” said Depor coach Miguel Lotina.