Vilanova seeks defensive Barca signings
Reuters - Friday 15 June 2012, 13:57
Barcelona are looking to land
two players to strengthen their defence, coach Tito Vilanova
said at his official presentation on Friday after he signed a
two-year contract to replace Pep Guardiola.
The 42-year-old stepped up to take over from his friend
after a trophy-ladened four years as assistant at the Nou Camp,
and started laying out some of his plans for the future.
"We want to reinforce the squad at the back. It's a position
we have had problems with," a calm and confident Vilanova told a
packed news conference.
"At the moment, we are interested in a left-back and a
centre-back. We don't have any plans to bring in any one up
front.
"Last year David Villa, Alexis Sanchez and Pedro all
suffered injuries but we hope next year they'll be ok. Also we
can count on [youth academy players] Isaac Cuenca and Cristian
Tello."
With inspirational captain Carles Puyol nearing the end of
his playing career and Eric Abidal recovering from a liver
transplant, Barca's defence was always going to be the starting
point when it came to strengthening their squad.
Vilanova has a tough act to follow after Barca won 14
trophies under Guardiola, but he batted aside questions over the
pressure he would be under next season to match their previous
success.
"They don't worry me, the comparisons with Guardiola. I have
come here to do my work," Vilanova said.
"Pep and I were very close. Pep was the communicator of the
message, but he shared the decision-making with me 50-50 and
sought my opinion. Most of the time we were in complete
agreement.
"I am not going to try and change things just to
differentiate myself. That doesn't make any sense."
KIDS PLAY
Barcelona president Sandro Rosell said the board had been
fully behind sports director Andoni Zubizarreta's proposal that
Vilanova take the reins.
"He represents the type of football we want and he is imbued
with the values he learned in La Masia (Barca's renowned youth
academy)," Rosell said of the former youth-team player.
"He has been a Barca supporter all his life."
Vilanova, in his first appearance in front of the media,
refused to get drawn into any early talk about their great
rivals Real Madrid, who wrested the league title off them for
the first time in four years last month.
Real coach Jose Mourinho infamously poked Vilanova in the
eye during a melee on the touchline at the end of the Spanish
Super Cup last season.
Asked how he was going to handle these high-tension
situations he simply replied. "I am very calm. I don't get
nervous."
Vilanova needed surgery on a tumour in his saliva glands
during last season, and said the experience had left him with a
different perspective on life.
"I had an important operation a few months ago," he said. "I
spoke with the medics and my family about the job, but they all
said I was perfectly okay and there was no problem.
"Having overcome this operation it gives me a different view
on life. Perhaps, after what has happened, training Barca will
be like kids play."