AnWaR, HighnesS, megamastero, SrK.AjMaL.369
real madrid champions akum ennu prvachivar...:yahoo:
AnWaR, HighnesS, megamastero, SrK.AjMaL.369
real madrid champions akum ennu prvachivar...:yahoo:
appo njan???:helohelo:Quote:
Originally Posted by AnWaR
poll listil illallo....:santa:Quote:
Originally Posted by baazigar89
njan varumpozhekum poll close aayennu thonnunnu...Quote:
Originally Posted by AnWaR
athavum...njan avidunun copy paste cheythatha bhai...:welcome:Quote:
Originally Posted by baazigar89
..up to Jan 2012 , poll undaayirunnuQuote:
Originally Posted by baazigar89
One final masterpiece: Guardiola`s glorious reign ends with a 14th trophy as brilliant Barcelona claim the Copa del Rey
http://u.goal.com/184100/184196hp2.jpg
It was a fitting end to a remarkable four-year spell as Pep's Barca thrashed Athletic Bilbao 3-0 in Madrid to win yet another title. His special side will live long in the memory
The script seemed written. Barcelona would win the Copa del Rey on Friday night and end Pep Guardiola's glorious reign in spectacular style. Poor Athletic Bilbao appeared to have little say in the matter.
And so it proved. Guardiola, citing fatigue and claiming he had no more to give the Catalan club, announced his decision to step down at the end of last month, following damaging defeats to Real Madrid and Chelsea in La Liga and the Champions League.
In those games, his team had looked tired, too. But they didn't on Friday. This was vintage Barcelona, a last reminder of everything there had been to admire about this special team which is often considered to be the finest footballing side in history.
As he appeared on the bench before the match, Guardiola appeared fresh and full of energy, perhaps relieved of some of the stress and tension after announcing his decision - and having little in the way of competitive football in the last month as well.
On the pitch, the players also looked recharged. Barca flew out of the blocks and immediately peppered the Athletic goal. Within three minutes, they were ahead as Pedro dispatched a rebound.
Already the signs were ominous for the Basques, who had lost the Europa League final 3-0 recently after conceding early on to Atletico Madrid's Radamel Falcao. And unfortunately for them, history was about to repeat itself.
But better sides than Athletic would have been unable to halt Barca on Friday. Determined to leave their leader's legacy at a high, Pep's players produced their finest performance in quite some time, stringing together long spells of possession, pressing immediately to recover the ball when they lost it and forcing Athletic to defend deep.
It was all over within 25 minutes. Lionel Messi added a second from a tight angle (his 73rd of an incredible campaign) with his right foot following a wonderful pass from Andres Iniesta and Pedro made it 3-0 with a lovely low finish from the edge of the box to beat Gorka at his right-hand post. It was too good for Athletic.
Athletic saw a decent penalty appeal turned down after Fernando Llorente looked to have been fouled by Gerard Pique, and the Basques improved considerably in the second half. However, they missed two clear chances and even if they had taken them, it always looked as if Barca had another gear in them in any case.
Before embarking on his coaching career, Guardiola had sought advice from a number of respected figures in the game. Marcelo Bielsa was among them and the Argentine coach welcomed Pep into his home in Rosario, where they discussed football for 11 hours over a barbeque.
It seemed fitting, then, that Bielsa's Bilbao should be the rivals as Guardiola closed the door on his era-defining and trophy-laden spell as coach of the Catalan club.
It had all begun against Athletic, as well, as this team claimed the first of their 14 trophies against the Basques three years ago at Mestalla, with victory over the northern outfit in this very same competition.
That 4-1 success paved the way for a tremendous treble triumph and Pep's players made it six trophies out of six by claiming the Spanish Supercopa, the Uefa Super Cup and the Club World Cup early in his second season.
Disappointments followed as Barca exited the Champions League to Inter and lost out to Sevilla in the Copa del Rey. Guardiola, though, remained philosophical. "In its history, this club has lost a lot more than it has won," he said.
But not with Pep. Two more league titles arrived, two more Spanish Supercopas, another Champions League, Club World Cup, Uefa Super Cup and on Friday, finally, a last Copa del Rey, closing the circle to claim a 14th trophy from only 19 available in his four-year tenure. Unlike those before him, Guardiola had won a lot more than he lost at Barca. The club's second-most successful coach, Johan Cruyff, had racked up 11 titles in eight years. Pep surpassed his former boss in less than half that time.
But now it's time to go. "I leave satisfied," Guardiola revealed afterwards. "I am happy to have been part of this process and this philosophy which I only continued." It was a huge understatement and mark of modesty from a man who made Barca the greatest in the game. He will be sorely missed at Camp Nou.
Guardiola: Messi is the best I've ever seen and probably the best I'll ever see
http://u.goal.com/184100/184173hp2.jpg
The Catalan coach departed with a 3-0 Copa del Rey victory over Athletic Bilbao, and bid goodbye with words of immense praise for his mesmeric Argentine
Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola has admitted that Lionel Messi is the best player he has ever seen - and probably the greatest that he is ever likely to see.
The Argentine netted his 73rd goal of the season in Friday's 3-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the final of the Copa del Rey, a triumph which ensured that Guardiola's tenure ended on a winning note.
The 41-year-old has led the Catalans to 14 titles in four seasons but he humbly claimed that he was learning from Messi during that time, and not the other way around.
"It has been an honour to be the coach of the best player I have ever seen and probably the best I will see," Guardiola told reporters after the game.
"Messi taught me to be even more competitive. We would have won trophies without him, but not 14 from 19."
Barca's campaign has been deemed as a failure by some pundits given they were dethroned as European and Spanish champions, by Chelsea and Real Madrid respectively, but Guardiola argued that the team has actually progressed this year.
"Football-wise, this has been the best season," he stated. "We introduced new concepts. And next season, we'll be even better."
It was then put to Guardiola that he had created the greatest footballing side the game has ever seen, but he was reluctant to accept such an accolade.
"I didn't invent anything," he insisted. "I'm just part of a process that started before me and will continue after me."
"And the best team in history? Would be pretentious to call us that. Those are big words."
Guardiola also reiterated his intention to take a year out from the game, admitting that he is need of a break.
"I'm tired - that's why I'll stop for a while now," he explained. "But I am very satisfied with the 14 trophies, and how we won them."
Guardiola succeeded Frank Rijkaard as Barca boss in 2008, after spending a year in charge of the club's B team.
ini oru UCL kudi venam..Quote:
Originally Posted by AnWaR
One of a kind..:clap:Quote:
Originally Posted by AnWaR