Real Madrid needed to reduce the pressure and focus on finding the team's technical and tactical balance again. This was a problem with the technical and tactical system. Barcelona's two consecutive defeats seemed more serious, but in Cruyff's eyes, it was just a small problem of improvisation, which was better and easier to solve.
Immediately after, the team's manager, Guardiola, also came forward to protect the team and prevent the players from having more mental pressure. Before the midweek Copa del Rey game, Guardiola was interviewed.
"I am responsible for the failure."
Guardiola, the Barcelona manager, said.
In the eyes of the young manager, after the team went through a period of slump, it was time for him to stand up and speak for the team.
Previously, when Barcelona was going all the way, Guardiola repeatedly said that the players, not the manager, were the key to the team's success.
Now, Barcelona had not performed well in several consecutive games. Guardiola did not want to find a scapegoat, but took the initiative to take the blame.
At the same time, he was optimistic about the team's prospects.
"I think we will be champions," Guardiola said.
"We have a two-point lead now, and we will expand this advantage in the future. If we don't win the title in the end, then I will reap what I sow. At the same time, I will congratulate the champions. "
After suffering two consecutive defeats, Barcelona was full of pressure.
At this critical moment, Guardiola, who had always been low-key, did not choose to retreat. Instead, he bravely stepped into the spotlight and played the leading role.
He did not want to be like his master, Cruyff, who argued that if I lose, you are right. If I win, then the truth is on my side. It is to face reality and fight against the surrounding pressure.
Coaching the players is the first step out of the predicament.
"You have to believe in me, believe in what I say," Guardiola said to the players in a tone of a savior.
"You did a good job before, and now you know what to do. I don't ask you to create any miracles, you just need to do what you did well before. Believe me, there is only one way forward, and we know how to take this road. "
Then, Guardiola continued to cheer the players, saying, "I am the boss of this team, I am the leader. Keep on working with me and we will achieve our goal. I have no doubt about that. If anything happens, I'll be here. The media just have to target me. "
The club did not seem to take all possible measures to protect the team.
On the plane to participate in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final, only 25 fans went with the team.
But the Guardiola laughed it off and joked, "The plane is full."
For this expedition to Mallorca, Guardiola brought everyone he could, including the injured players.
Iniesta, who passed a medical on Tuesday, will be on the bench, ready to play at any time.
Even the medical staff of the team went with the team. As a result, there were 40 people in the Barcelona team.
Guardiola said firmly, "We have fought together until now, and we will also work hard to reach the Copa del Rey final."
In the face of the reporters, Guardiola said: "I'm not as worried as you say. It's your job to write what kind of article at what time. You can think of the wording as you like, but what I want to tell you is that I believe in my team, I believe in my players, and I believe in myself. In short, if I lose, you are the winner, but if I win, then I am the winner. "
At present, Guardiola has not decided which goalkeeper to send in the starting lineup.
Pinto was the main goalkeeper in the previous Copa del Rey, but Valdés, whose confidence had suffered a setback, also needed to be reassured at this time.
In any case, aside from the choice of goalkeeper, Guardiola will go all out in this game, even though Barcelona has already achieved a 2: 0 lead in the first leg.
Guardiola said, "We will attack, attack, and attack again, and strive to win the game in one fell swoop."
"We should get back to our old form in this game, be as ambitious as before, and play aggressive football. I don't ask others to believe in these players, but others won't stop me from giving them full credit. "
Before the game, Real Madrid Club president Borda claimed that Real Madrid was actually ahead of Barcelona, because Barcelona was bound to lose in the away game against Real Madrid.
When a reporter asked about this, Guardiola just said lightly, "He seems to have correctly predicted the outcome of their game against Liverpool." Before Real Madrid played Liverpool at home, Borda had boasted that Real Madrid would beat Liverpool at home by 3: 0, and then "thrash" Liverpool in the away game. As a result, Real Madrid forced an awkward 2: 2 draw with Liverpool at home.
"I respect Real Madrid's club president very much, but he has no ability to dampen my morale and enthusiasm, even though he is the president of Real Madrid."
Guardiola finally said.
In this period of time when the two La Liga giants encountered different difficulties, the role played by the other important characters of the two clubs, other than the players and coaches, formed a huge contrast.
Real Madrid's president, Borda, seemed to have inherited Calderón's bad habit and liked to speak without thinking.
Sometimes this would stimulate the team's confidence, and sometimes it would put the players under more pressure, as well as add insult to injury from the outside world.
Just like before, he said that Real Madrid would beat Liverpool, and the result? He slapped himself in the face and made the team quite ashamed. After all, he was the president, and what he said made Real Madrid "everyone responsible."
Now the team obviously needed to face the future calmly, keep a low profile, and even stand aloof from worldly affairs to do their own thing first. But he boldly judged that Real Madrid would win the future El Clásico.
This was simply unreasonable.
Perhaps Borda only saw the positive changes in the numbers of Real Madrid in the standings after two rounds of the league tournament from being six points behind to being two points behind.
And he did not take a closer look at the difficulties that Real Madrid encountered in the games against Liverpool and RCD Espanyol!
Simply put, Real Madrid's set of tactics in the past no longer worked!
Liverpool opened the door and used a textbook game to tell the world how to play Real Madrid, and it was the most effective way.
The Madrid Derby was coming this weekend, but Real Madrid had to go to Anfield to play a Champions League game against Liverpool in the middle of next week.
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