Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
I do not agree that the coach has to adapt to the players. There was a time when I thought it, but that was because I did not understand football.
Madrid's players are carried along by the football itself, what they feel in each moment; they're not guided by tactical rigor or a specific structure.
In these fixtures, the past is forgotten. What is rewarded is the present. This is a Clasico: two teams that will be at 100 percent regardless of the situation.
If Messi didn't have it clearly in his head that Barcelona have a winning project, maybe he would go, but Barcelona are always looking to have a winning project.
Any footballer who understands space and time and positioning can become a better player because he knows how to receive the ball alone with time to play a pass or shoot.
Regarding the VAR, it is a tool that can undoubtedly make us better. You have to use it because it gives us a clearer view of reality when you have to make quick decisions.
I told Cruyff I'd have given my little finger to have played for his team, but not just to play at Barcelona but for how they played, because I saw how the players enjoyed themselves.
Madrid's anarchy can make planning difficult: they're unpredictable. But if you can be defensively sound and use the ball well, making the most of the space they leave, you can do them damage.
There are coaches who put more or less players in front of the ball; when you put lots of players ahead of the ball, the risk is magnified. There are coaches that won't contemplate that. I respect that.
The formation is important but not that important. The important thing is the concepts in each position on the pitch. That has to be integrated into the players' heads. The players will develop when they understand it.
I take into account the importance and the hierarchy of each player, but in a club like Barca with so many players... I know that some are going to get angry because not all are fit and it is a decision that I must take responsibility for, and that is what I do.
I have seen some great players doing wonderful things, but being so decisive for so long over 12 or 14 years as a professional, I think no player, maybe only Pele in his time, has shown that level. He shows it in every game. I don't know how many hat-tricks he's had.
I never really understood the game until I saw Cruyff's Barcelona play. The first time that happened it opened up a new world to me. I began to understand that football was a collective thing, and that association between players meant you could keep the ball the whole game.
I like to have fewer players. That way, everyone is plugged into what you're doing. There is a risk attached to that sometimes but it's good to have a smaller squad. People have more chance of playing; they're ready and more motivated. Having 18 real players is better than having 25 or 26 not playing.
What I feel for the ball, what I enjoy, as a player and now as a coach, the satisfaction I feel when I see great players, is the same as in the school playground: seeing moves build, seeing understanding, passes flow, seeing it all fit together. That's what I admire and ultimately, that's what you learn at school.