Speaking after Saturday’s training and before the departure of the squad to Madrid, FC Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola discussed a lot of topics, with the main focus on the Spanish Super Cup match against Real Madrid on Sunday. Having only had two days with his full squad, the Barça coach was adamant that there would be no excuses heading into the match. “This is a final and whoever wins will have simply been better,” he declared.

For the blaugrana manager, playing the Spanish Super Cup is always good news. “We are fortunate to be playing it. It means we were the winners of something this past season. For the last three years we’ve been able to play [in this competition],” he explained. After noting the value of the Cup itself, Guardiola stated that the timing and rival for the competition are not really favorable to his team. “We’ve only been all together for two days and Madrid has had an impeccable preseason. From what I’ve seen, they’re just like they were last year.” For Guardiola, the fact that Barça had a week less of preseason than Madrid should not become a relevant issue: “I don’t feel that a title is more important to them than to us. Whoever wins will have simply been better.”

After only two training sessions with the entire group, along with the fact that many of the players didn’t take part in the team’s preseason – like Alexis, Mascherano, Messi and Alves – there is the big question of who will play at the Bernabéu. “Messi and Mascherano have arrived in good shape. They had the shortest vacation, only three weeks. When you have less time off, you need less time to get into shape,” he said about the Argentinian players. Regarding the rest of the squad, Guardiola prefers to wait until Sunday. In any case, he warned that not all players are ready to feature for 90 minutes.

In this sense, Guardiola has made it clear that there will be no excuses. “We’re playing a final and there are no possible excuses. If I’d wanted them to be more in form, I’d have called them back earlier. The rest was important,” he explained. However, he warned that a 3-1 defeat, which was the result after the first leg of the Super Cup last season against Sevilla, would be practically definitive against Real Madrid. “A good part of the tie is decided this Sunday. Whenever we’ve come back with a good result from the Bernabeu it’s because we’ve been ambitious,” he added.

According to Guardiola, that they are playing Madrid early in the season has its positive attributes. It will “help us to a competitive state of mind for the future,” especially with the European Super Cup, and the start of the League immediately following the double duel against the team in white.

And Madrid, how will they play? “It’s very difficult to figure out how they’re going to play. They sat back in the first half of the first leg of the semifinals of the Champions League, and in the second half they pressurised us high up the pitch. They have a lot [of range and variety in their approach]. We have to be cautious. Beating them will be very complicated,” he stated.

The coach from Santpedor justified his decision to travel to Madrid a day before the match and to bring his entire squad, including the injured players. “We all travel to spend more hours together [as a group]. We want to rest well today and to arrive in better shape tomorrow night, because it is a final against our strongest rival.”

Beyond the Super Cup, Guardiola has discarded the possibility of signing a central defender and indicated that Carles Puyol’s recovery is going well. “I’m no doctor, but I think that in a short time he’ll be back with us. He’s training without pain,” he informed the press.

The coach of Barcelona has supported the strike called for by the union of players (AFE) for the first two matchdays of La Liga: “My opinion is that this is basically dependent on the players. So I endorse their position and I give my support, because if I am a coach it’s thanks to them.”

With regard to Cesc, he reminded those listening that “he’s not here … according to the information I have, everything is very advanced but lacking one paper. He is still an Arsenal player. If he comes or doesn’t come,  Barça will still have a good midfield,” he said. “He is not here, and when he is, then I will give my opinion,” he concluded.