Vilanova: "Iniesta is our best winter transfer"

Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova gave an interview to Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo.





If we see how the team is doing now, can we demand at least one trophy?
I don't know. We feel the obligation to play every game in a way that brings joy to the people. If you keeping winning matches, trophies will follow.

But if you keep this rhythm, the Liga could be decided in March...
You hear a lot of comments. Some say we won't be able to keep this going. I think we can keep it up physically because the players are doing great and there have been some rotations. I don't know if we will have a drop-back, but I have the feeling that the players are feeling good both at training as during the games.

And you can again count on Iniesta.
For us, it's a very important player. He's excellent, very, very good. We are happy because the team did well during his absence, but on the other hand I think he'll be our best possible winter transfer. With the motivation with which he will return, he'll overshadow everyone else on the pitch.

What do you think about the changes in Madrid?
I think it's good. The same happened two years ago when they were going through problems, they were able to create a positive atmosphere and they ended up winning the league. I would hope that we could also be that united when the team isn't doing well.

How is it to work with Guardiola?
The fact that we understand each other on the training pitch or when preparing the games, makes everything easier. Because he's the first one who arrives and the last one who leaves, he forces us to reach a higher level.

You think he could be the Ferguson of Barcelona?
I don't know. But for the time he'll be here, he wants to do a good job. If not, he prefers not to do it at all.

You think Henry has already fully adapted?
He gets better every day that goes by. The fact that he scored three times against Valencia maybe set him free and he's making good progress. His last three games were the best I can remember since he's at Barça. I'm convinced that he will have scored a lot of goals at the end of the season and that he will be important for us.

Can you ask more from Messi?
He's a player who asks a lot from himself. I think he's still very young and that he has therefore still a margin to get better. I don't know if he will set one more step, but he's very young so it's possible.

What about Eto'o?
I had heard that it was a player with a character, but I can only talk about what I have seen and for us he has been a person with whom it's easy to work. He has always acted in an educated way and if there's something he wants to tell you, he comes down and talks about it with you face-to-face. His attitude couldn't be better.

You give priority to some competition?
No. We're involved in all three with the same desire and motivation. The club hasn't won anything for two years so the fans wouldn't allow something else. Although you should have some luck with injuries, you should try to win them all.


This was the second and last part of this interview. You can read the first part here:
Vilanova: "It's important to talk straight"

Read more:
The first impressions of assistant coach Vilanova
Guardiola has his team in place
Vilanova talks: "They should run or play tennis"