Guardiola relishing return to Wembley
Reuters - Tuesday 03 May 2011, 23:04
BARCELONA - Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola
is looking forward to a Champions League final at the place
where he tasted his only triumph in Europe's elite club
competition as a player - Wembley Stadium.
The former midfielder was a key part of the Barca team that
won the European Cup in 1992 against Sampdoria at the old
Wembley before the stadium was rebuilt.
Tuesday's 1-1 draw with arch rivals Real Madrid sent
Guardiola's team through 3-1 on aggregate to the May 28 final,
where they will play English Premier League leaders Manchester
United or Bundesliga side Schalke 04.
"Now we are going to play again in Wembley and it's an
honour to reach the final of the Champions League," the
40-year-old told a news conference.
"Football is coming home no?," he added, a reference to the
theme song for the Euro 1996 championships held in England.
"I would have prefered to play in the old Wembley and I
don't know if everyone will be supporting Manchester United but
we will try to recover the players and try to keep showing the
world our style of football.
"That means keeping the ball as long as possible and showing
respect for the opponent."
Real were on the receiving end of another Barca masterclass
in possession football on Tuesday when the Catalan club had 64
percent of the ball and restricted their opponent's formidable
attack to just one shot on goal.
Guardiola said United, who have a 2-0 lead over Schalke 04
from last week's first leg ahead of Wednesday's return match at
Old Trafford, were a different team to the one Barca beat 2-0 in
the 2009 final in Rome and praised their manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
"He has been able to readapt constantly and recreate teams
and win and win and get to many finals," Guardiola said.
"We will find out tomorrow who our opponent will be and we
are going to prepare as best as possible.
"They (United) have different strikers and attackers but
their mentality will be the same.
"We will respect the opponent but take the ball and attack.
That's the way we play football."