Pep: Great teams are above complaining
Reuters - Wednesday 28 March 2012, 22:32
Great teams are above
complaining, Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said as he tried to
avoid criticising a dreadful San Siro pitch and controversial
refereeing during his team's 0-0 Champions League quarter-final
first leg draw wish AC Milan on Wednesday.
"To win the Champions League, you have to overcome a lot of
things, that's what makes some sportsmen better than others,"
Guardiola told reporters.
"Things happen and you have to overcome then."
"We have won a lot in the last four years, but we have also
drawn and lost matches.
"After a draw or defeat, we have never complained about a
refereeing decision or the pitch, maybe we have done so after
winning but not after a draw or defeat."
Barcelona players felt they should have had a penalty early
in the match when forward Alexis Sanchez appeared to be tripped
by Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati.
Their players also struggled to keep their footing on a San
Siro pitch where huge divots were frequently thrown up.
"If UEFA want teams to put on a spectacle, they have to
overcome problems like this," Guardiola said. "I don't think
it's Milan or Inter Milan's problem, I think the problem is with
the stadium."
Guardiola also heaped praise on his defence, often
overshadowed by the exploits of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres
Iniesta. Javier Mascherano and Carles Puyol snuffed out the
threat of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the Milan front-line.
"Mascherano and Puyol were impeccable," he said.