| Cruyff’s Corner: Villarreal: A very important win |
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| on 04 May 2010 | |
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Cruyff’s Corner: Villarreal: A very important win
Barça went into the game having just been eliminated in the Champions League, only one goal away from advancing. Everyone thought that they’d fall victim to Villarreal after losing to Inter. But once again, the mind trumped everything. This is a translation of Johan Cruyff’s weekly article in El Periodico. The original can be found here. The body and mind. The legs and the head. Are they the same thing or can you disassociate one from the other? And in this case, which controls the other? Having seen the game against Villarreal, [it was] a hugely important victory by a big margin. Coming from where you came from, having been eliminated, a goal away from going to the final – not even that, because there was a second goal that could have been the 2-0 – and you read, heard, felt in the pre-game that Barça could easily lose in Villarreal. That if the precedents, the at home winning streak, the difficulty of picking oneself up from the loss against Inter … take away the first five or ten minutes of the game, when several players made mistakes, and the rest of the game was efficient execution, generous, another example out of the Barça/Masia handbook. Uncomfortable teams Tired at this point in the season? Without a doubt. Not just because of the 55 official games this season, a dozen more than Real Madrid, but because of accumulation of the two glorious seasons, where you’ve gone after everything. When did we start to think that Barça had lost their steam? When they have squared off against teams (Espanyol, Inter, Manchester, Chelsea, Shakhtar, Estudiantes) more worried about not losing than winning. With one obsession: closing down the spaces. Where the ends justified the means. They played their game and sometimes you could overcome the obstacles and other times no. Inter and Mourinho will be in the final, not you. Having seen the two games, congratulations to both. More than a club With or without the final, I’ve reaffirmed what I already knew: I’m glad that someone like Mourinho isn’t the coach of FC Barcelona. He has very particular virtues when it comes time to motivate and/or play mind games. He is, without a doubt, a great coach. But what makes some people like him is what turns me off about him. A few years ago, when the club was thinking about substituting Rijkaard for another type of coach – Mourinho was one of them – my opinion went contrary to others. Having seen what has happened over those years, I’m doubly grateful that it didn’t come true. That was the most difficult decision in those times. I’m happy because Guardiola has ended up winning, and also because he believes that winning isn’t everything. Not if you presume yourself to be more than a club. I also want to win games and win titles. But I understand and I defend the idea that football is much more than that and I want to give an example. And in footballing terms, with an attractive game and with as many home grown players as possible. Speaking personally, giving the best image, transmitting positive values; on top of respect, good sportsmanship and hard work. Talking only about technical ability, many people could be the coach of Barça. And with quality in mind, many footballers could play for Barça. But, more important than being good, as a coach and as a player, you also have to set a good example. If it’s true that you’re more than a club, a potential coach or player has to have certain values because they end up being the face of the club. Attention with Tenerife Having passed the exam against Villarreal, tomorrow brings another mental exercise. When everyone is saying you’ll lose against Villarreal, there are no more alarms to go off inside your head. And because you’re so focused, you win. And you play extremely well when two or three players have their day. Tomorrow is another story. As easy as it looks, after having won in Villarreal, Tenerife’s visit sounds like a joke. And that’s where the problems come in. The easiest games are those that are the most dangerous. Because in the difficult games you don’t lose focus or concentration. The most dangerous games are the ones where everyone expects you to win. The most difficult league Just in case, everyone needs to go to the game. Cheer the team on. I hope it’s the same feeling in Camp Nou as this past Wednesday against Inter. The game is at 20:00, the same time that many went into the stadium last week. Barça is playing to win the league, and not just any league. Winning it would be the most brutal of them all. No Barça team in history will have had to win as many points in order to be champion.
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