Milito: "I am looking forward to face Barcelona"

Inter Milan forward Diego Milito gave an interview to Catalan sports paper Sport.




What do you think about having to play against Barça in the Champions League?
It's always motivating to play against the European champions, it's logical that we are looking forward to it, we want to win this.

They have some weak points?
We all know Barça is a great team with a lot of top players. We will be informed about them when the games are coming closer.

You have talked about it with Messi?
No, not at all. We both will defend our colours and we will give everything for our team to win. It will be a very attractive game and I am sure that football lovers will look forward to it. I believe in my team, in my team-mates.

You are worried to have Messi as an opponent?
Well, we should be prepared for it.

How do you stop him?
Pfff, we know him well, it's an excellent player and we cannot relax one second. There's not one recipe to mark him. We are talking about a unique player here. Let's hope things turn out for the best.

Inter defeated Milan 4-0. Can you still get better?
The team starts to know each other little by little. There's still a little left. But Inter is doing very well.

You are looking forward to the game against Barcelona?
We all like this kind of games, the ones against Brazil or against Barcelona. It's special to play against one of the best teams in the world. So we will have to be prepared.

Read more:
Diego Milito was again sounded out this summer
Messi: "I am great because of my team-mates"
Milito writes letter to the fans

Guardiola: "We respect every opponent"

Speaking at a press conference, Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola commented on tonight's league game against Sporting Gijón:

"Despite being the reigning champions, we are starting from zero now and we have to win everything back. And it will be difficult because the opponents now want to defeat the team that won everything. But we will again try to win every game.

We are staying modest and we respect every opponent. Every team can beat us and if they do, it will be our fault. The conditions of the Friday game can have an influence on the team. We have analyzed the players one by one, physically it has been very exhausting. But those who will play, will go out there and run."

Read more:
Preciado (Sporting Gijon): "Strange things happen"
Barral (Sporting Gijon): "We have our chances"

Preciado (Sporting Gijon): "Strange things happen"

Speaking to Madrid radio station Radio Marca, Sporting Gijón manager Manuel Preciado commented on tonight's league game against Barcelona:

"We would have preferred to have a normal match day so we wouldn't have to play on Monday, but these things happen and you cannot do anything against it.

The players will go out there to compete, trying to win the game. We prefer a 0-0 over a 4-0 but we go to the Camp Nou without fear. We are modest but in football very strange things can happen. In general, I am satisfied about my team, although the injuries will cost us. Two strikers at the Camp Nou? Now that would be suicide (smiles). The few times we will have the ball, we will need to approach their goal as quickly as possible."

At a press conference, Preciado added: "I cannot wait for this season to start, I'm very excited about it. Even more so because we start in the Camp Nou. Against the treble winners, a team that plays great football and has some impressive players.

But we're not going there to lose. Even knowing that it will be very difficult, if we want to do something we will have to be courageous and bold. This year we have more experience, we cannot have so much fear anymore. That doesn't mean that they cannot again score five goals against us, although it will be in a different way because I want my team to keep a cooler head."

Read more:
Barral (Sporting Gijon): "We have our chances"

Barral (Sporting Gijon): "We have our chances"

Speaking to Madrid sports tabloid Marca, Sporting Gijón forward David Barral commented on tonight's league game against Barcelona:

"Looking at what happened to Barcelona in their first game against Numancia last season, we have some hope to meet them a bit unfocused after the super cup games. We have our chances. They are little, but we have them."

Guardiola: "If we don't press, we will suffer"

Speaking at a press conference, Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola commented on tonight's European super cup game against Shakhtar Donetsk:

"Shakhtar is a team that like to bring the ball out from defence and involve the centre halves.

If we don't put pressure, then we will suffer. It's clear to me that either we have a good game or it will be impossible to win.

We're on the verge of playing a European final and that's something very important. It's very difficult to get here, much more than people think. At this moment the most important competition is this one. The next match is always the most important match. I don't give priority to any match or any competition. The priority is any match or any tournament we play."

read more pre-match comments:
Pique - Xavi - Puyol - Lucescu - Guardiola - Pyatov - Alves - Lucescu (bis) - Vilanova - Busquets - Willian

Willian: "We have to be very concentrated"

Speaking to Catalan radio station RAC 1, Shakhtar Donetsk player Willian commented on tonight's European super cup game against Barcelona:

"Barcelona has great players, as Xavi, Messi, Iniesta or Henry have shown over the last years. The whole squad of Barcelona is very good. And we'll have to be very careful so they don't surprise us.

But I'm not not losing hope. I hope they won't surprise us and that we can win the title. We have to go out on the pitch being very concentrated."

read more pre-match comments:
Pique - Xavi - Puyol - Lucescu - Guardiola - Pyatov - Alves - Lucescu (bis) - Vilanova - Busquets

Busquets: "We don't want to let this cup get away"

Speaking at a press conference, Barcelona player Sergio Busquets commented on tonight's European super cup game against Shakhtar Donetsk:

"The team is totally motivated. You don't get a lot of chances of winning a trophy and we don't want to let the European super cup get away.

Shakhtar will be a very difficult opponent, as they already showed last season when they made things difficult for us, both in Donetsk and at the Camp Nou. But the team is doing well physically, we are ambitious and have a winning spirit."

read more pre-match comments:
Pique - Xavi - Puyol - Lucescu - Guardiola - Pyatov - Alves - Lucescu (bis) - Vilanova

Vilanova: "Shakhtar comes very close to our style"

Speaking to the club's official media, Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova commented on tonight's European super cup game against Shakhtar Donetsk:

"Shakhtar is a very good team, with a very good coach and they have a very good way of playing.

Both teams have actually a similar style. They are probably the team in the whole of Europe who comes the closest to our ideas. It's also an experienced team. At every moment they know what to do and they know what the options are.

Yesterday, at the end of the training session, Pep gathered everyone on the pitch. He said that despite the fact that everyone is well-aware of the importance of the game, people could lose focus because of the date in pre-season, the venue or the heat, but that this cannot happen. This is a final, a final we want to win to continue the series of trophies won."

read more pre-match comments:
Pique - Xavi - Puyol - Lucescu - Guardiola - Pyatov - Alves - Lucescu (bis)

Lucescu: "I think we will see a great game"

Speaking at a press conference, Shakhtar Donetsk manager Mircea Lucescu commented on tonight's European super cup game against Barcelona:

"I am happy to be in Monaco again. The first time I was here with Galatasaray. This time I am here with Shakhtar, a great team with a great future.

I think we will see a great game. Because two teams with more or less similar attacking style of play will meet. We know each other well. We played good Champions League games in Donetsk and in Barcelona last year.

We know that Barcelona is a great team, playing in the Spanish league which is stronger than the Ukrainian. But at the same time it should not be forgotten that in Shakhtar we also have brought together a group of solid football players who are technically well prepared.

Do I know Guardiola? That's a strange question... Of course I know him as he played in Bresсia, where I coached for five years. In addition, we lived in the same appartment block. I have very good memories about the co-operation with Guardiola. Moreover we have a mutual friend, the president of Bresсia.

I respect Guardiola a lot, as a player and as a coach. I think he feels the same towards me as I am a coach with a big and long career. Tomorrow we will talk on the field. I think Barcelona will be the favourite taking into account merits and titles of this club. Let's see who will win."

read more pre-match comments:
Pique - Xavi - Puyol - Lucescu - Guardiola - Pyatov - Alves

Alves: "We should have a humble approach"

Speaking at a press conference, Barcelona player Dani Alves commented on tonight's European super cup game against Shakhtar Donetsk:

"I was happy to win the Super Cup with Sevilla in 2006 and now I'll try to win with another team.

With all respect for my team-mates, I think that people who have seen both sides of the coin learn their lessons. Our players are intelligent and know that in a final, if you are not in the right mind, you are bound to encounter surprises. They won't repeat the same mistakes as then, that would not be the mark of intelligent people.

Now we have to be very concentrated to avoid any surprises because it's very motivating for the opponent to be able to beat the European champion. We should have a humble approach, keep working hard and try to win. We can't have any excuses. We've come here to win the Super Cup. We have come here with one aim and we have to overcome all difficulties if we are to achieve that.

Ibrahimovic and Eto'o? You can never make comparisons, because every player does things his own way. Ibrahimovic is a great player who will contribute in his own style. He's different from what we had and we're all delighted to have him. We've welcomed him into the group and I'm sure he has a great contribution to make."

read more pre-match comments:
Pique - Xavi - Puyol - Lucescu - Guardiola - Pyatov

Shakhtar goalkeeper Pyatov: "I'm not afraid"

Speaking to the club's official media, Shakhtar goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov commented on Friday's European super cup game against Barcelona:

"Like every football player I dreamt about playing games like the European Super Cup. I think it is quite a good thing to have dreams.

And there's just a little thing left for this dream to come true... Winning the trophy. If a dream is coming true, you have to do your best to make it totally come true.

But I wouldn't say this is the highest you can reach as a player. It is just one of the numerous things you want to achieve. The opponent? Well, Barcelona is Barcelona. But I do not feel any fear. Their team has the same line-up as last season and we did well then. We now have won two out of four games with Barcelona. I will give my best to make the balance come our way."

read more pre-match comments:
Pique - Xavi - Puyol - Lucescu - Guardiola

Shakhtar arrives in Monaco

After a four-hour flight, the team of Shakhtar Donetsk arrived yesterday at the airport of Nice, before travelling to Monaco where they will compete for the European Super Cup tomorrow.

more pictures here

Guardiola not happy with award nominations

Speaking to tCatalan television channel TV3, Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola commented on Friday's European super cup game against Shakhtar Donetsk:

"Shakhtar is a solid team with good players, not only Chygrynskiy. But we're well-prepared for this final and we're looking forward to it.

I have to say that I don't like the fact that five of our players have obligations in Monaco because they are nominated for the Uefa awards. It doesn't feel right When you go to play a final, it should be about playing football, not about receiving trophies. But it's like this, we cannot change it. We are lucky to have players that are nominated for those prizes, they deserve to be there and so I hope they win it."

Read more:
Puyol: "We want to bring the cup back here"
Six Barcelona nominees for UEFA Club Awards
Pique: "This will be another great year"

Lucescu: "We can compete with Barcelona"

Speaking at a press conference after the Europa League qualifier against Sivasspor yesterday, Shakhtar Donetsk manager Mircea Lucescu commented on Friday's European Super Cup game against Barcelona:

"We had a good game for more than an hour and then the team probably cooled off thinking about the upcoming hard game against Barcelona.

I am glad for the players, the president and the club that we will not only be there as spectators. Of course, I would like to win this trophy once again, like I did with Galatasaray before.

It is a very important title, but it will also be very difficult to win it. We are very aware of that. I think our game is close to Barcelona's game, we can compete with them. We should remember the games against Barcelona in last season's Champions League group stages. Their last-minute win in the home game and our 3-2 win at the Camp Nou..."

Read more:
Belgian referee appointed for Super Cup
Pique: "This will be another great year"

Puyol: "We want to bring the cup back here"

Speaking to the club's official media, Barcelona players Carles Puyol and Xavi commented on Friday's European super cup game against Shakhtar Donetsk:

Puyol
"Three years ago, we played a really bad match. Sevilla were much better and deserved the victory. But as the saying goes, defeat makes you stronger. Now there's a new opportunity that we must not let get away. We'll fight hard in Monaco to bring the Cup back here.

It's another game. We know that we have to prepare it well. We know we're up against a very difficult opponent who'll be really fired up, so we have to be the same. I'm confident that it will turn out well."

Xavi
"It's true that they will tell us that there are similarities with three years ago but the players are intelligent and they know the past. People are reminding us too much about what happened back then. This year the team has earned a lot of credit and there's a lot of modesty in the group. This time, it can all go very well."

Read more:
Pique: "This will be another great year"
Belgian referee appointed for Super Cup

Belgian referee appointed for Super Cup

European football federation UEFA has officially announced today that Belgian referee Frank De Bleeckere will take charge of the European Super Cup match between Barcelona and Shakhtar Donetsk on Friday.

This will be De Bleeckere's fourth meeting with Barcelona. He was the referee when they met Panathinaikos in Athens on 18 October 2005 in the group stage, he also took charge of the group match against Chelsea in London on 18 October 2006 and at Camp Nou on 11 December 2002 when Barcelona played Newcastle United in the second group stage of the 2002-2003 Champions League.

Read more:
Pique: "This will be another great year"

Pique: "This will be another great year"

Speaking at a press conference, Barcelona player Gerard Piqué commented on Friday's Europen super cup game against Shakhtar Donetsk:

"Last year, they showed us that they are a difficult team and they ended up winning the Uefa cup. It's a great team and in only one game, it will be very difficult to beat them.

We want to win this title although it's difficult to start as the favourites and having the pressure to win. Although in the Spanish super cup against Bilbao, the team has proven that we're playing at a fairly good level and that we have chances to win again. When you win titles, the motivation and the pride you get from that make you want to win even more.

Knowing my team-mates and the coach, I don't think the same will happen as in 2006. We don't have to think about what happened then. Although I was not part of that team, we have learnt the lesson and I'm sure it will not happen again. The coach won't let that happen. It's impossible and I'm very relaxed about that. We are all convinced that we need to keep on working to keep on winning titles. You can win or lose the super cup, but I'm sure this will be another great year."

Read more:
Pique reveals dressing-room secrets
Pique could be an option in midfield

Susaeta: "Let's see if we can turn this around"

Athletic Bilbao attacking midfielder Markel Susaeta commented at a press conference on today's super cup's game against Barcelona:

"Let's see if we can turn the situation around. Although we of course know it will be very difficult, we're going to Barcelona to compete for the super cup.

We are having some defensive problems in the last games. Maybe we should be more united on the pitch. But despite those official games for the Super Cup and the Europa League, we shouldn't forget we're still in pre-season, so I hope we can improve the number of goals that are scored against us."

Read more:
Guardiola: "Every trophy is important"
Athletic coach Caparros: "We are not afraid"

Athletic coach Caparros: "We are not afraid"

Athletic Bilbao manager Joaquín Caparrós commented at a press conference on Sunday's super cup game against Barcelona:

"It's a final, we didn't have a good result in the first leg so we will have to go for it now. We know how they will play, they are motivated to win another trophy and we will have to be able to deal with that.

We will play a good game and I think that in football nothing is impossible. We have few options, but I have seen all kinds of things in football, so we will start with the idea to play a good game and then we will see what will happen.

I'm not expecting Barcelona to do anything special, they have quality players who are used to play together so we will have to work hard to defeat them. We are not afraid. You have to be optimistic, otherwise we would better not travel to Barcelona."

Read more:
Guardiola: "Every trophy is important"

Guardiola: "Every trophy is important"

Speaking at a press conference earlier today, Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola stressed the importance of winning the first trophy of the season tomorrow:

"We're playing a final tomorrow and we won't hold back. We want to win the super cup. It would be something very positive to start the season with a trophy. That's why I ask my players to give everything as they should be aware that every trophy is important. It's a final and it's a privilege that we are able to play it.

I think the players are in good shape but we should be aware that Barcelona has only won one out of nine games we've played at the Camp Nou when the return game of the super cup was in Barcelona. So we should be careful. Bilbao will come out to pressure us so we need to attack wisely."