Guardiola backs Busquets over UEFA charge
Reuters - Saturday 14 May 2011, 13:06
BARCELONA - Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola
gave his backing to Sergio Busquets on Saturday, saying he
believed the midfielder's denial that he had racially abused
Real Madrid full-back Marcelo.
Guardiola is concerned Busquets may miss the Champions
League Final against Manchester United at Wembley on May 28
after UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against him.
The Spain international could face a five-match ban if found
guilty of abusing Marcelo in last month's ill-tempered Champions
League semi-final first leg at the Bernabeu.
"All I would say is that I have known Sergio for a long time
and if he tells me something I believe him because I know him,"
Guardiola said at a news conference ahead of Sunday's La Liga
match at home to Deportivo La Coruna.
"Only Marcelo and 'Busi' know what happened," he added. "Of
course we are worried and waiting for the decision. Hopefully he
will be able to play in the final."
UEFA said in a statement on Thursday its Control and
Disciplinary Body would hear the case on Sunday and a decision
would be communicated to the club on Monday.
Barcelona spokesman Toni Freixa said last week Busquets had
denied twice calling Marcelo a monkey, or in Spanish "mono".
What television images of Busquets addressing the Brazilian
showed was him saying Marcelo had a lot of nerve, or "mucho
morro," Freixa said.
"When the footage started coming out on YouTube we spoke to
the player and he said the accusations were false," he added.
"He did not say what Real Madrid said in their complaint."