Everton's Arteta grateful for Guardiola advice

Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta (26) talked in an interview with English newspaper The Times about his time at Barcelona:

"I learnt to pass at Barcelona, training with the first team, with players like Guardiola, Rivaldo, Luis Enrique and Figo.

I was amazed. They never felt threatened or worried by this young lad who might replace them; they were trying to help me all the time. They would correct me on technique, keep talking to me and giving me confidence, even praising me to the manager and press.

I remember the first time I played for the first team, against Hertha Berlin in pre-season, I was 16. I replaced Guardiola at half-time and after the game he sat with me and talked through everything that I had done out on the pitch. To have that from someone like him, the best in that position, you cannot have anyone better than that helping you."

Mikel Arteta joined Barcelona from Antiguoko in 1997. The former Spanish youth international didn't make it to the first team squad and after going out on loan to French club Paris Saint-Germain for two years, Arteta was sold to Glasgow Rangers in the summer of 2002.


read the full interview here

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