Can Barca end poor run?
MADRID - Barcelona are in the unusual position of having drawn their last three matches as they prepare for tomorrow's home La Liga game against Real Sociedad and Pep Guardiola's unwillingness to commit to a new contract is not helping settle jangled nerves.
The spectacularly successful 41-year-old coach prefers to renew his deal with the Spanish and European champions on an annual basis and as the season has slipped by mutterings about the possibility of him leaving in June have grown in volume.
Barca president Sandro Rosell is desperate to persuade Guardiola, who has led the Catalan club to 13 trophies since taking over in 2008, to agree an extension, though he has so far refrained from putting too much public pressure on the former Barca and Spain midfielder.
Guardiola waited until February 8 last year before inking a new deal and went on to capture a third successive La Liga title and a second Champions League crown, as well as the Spanish and European Super Cups and the Club World Cup.
"The sooner (he signs the contract) the better," Rosell told reporters on Tuesday when quizzed about the issue.
"That would always be a massive boost, it would be great," he added.
This season, Guardiola faces perhaps his stiffest test from Real Madrid, who have been honed into a fearsome attacking force by Portuguese Jose Mourinho, an assistant coach at Barca when Guardiola was a player. Real, who play at city rivals Getafe tomorrow, have a seven-point lead over Barca with just over half the season played and are fiercely determined to end their arch-rivals' domestic and European domination.
Having knocked Real out of the King's Cup last week, Guardiola refuses to give up on the league title, though he admits Barca are "almost at the point of no return" after Saturday's 0-0 draw at Villarreal. Third-placed Valencia have slipped nine points behind Barca ahead of their game on Sunday at a resurgent Atletico Madrid. Levante, Valencia's city neighbours and the season's surprise packages, are five points further back in fourth and host troubled Racing Santander tomorrow.
warburton
ya i think barcelona they are playing bad football when they travel but home games they are very strong and secondly the injury of iniesta its a huge blow.i wont disagree with pep if he does not want to sign because he won everything and transformed barca .on the la liga i think we are out because its difficult for madrid to loose unless they are playing with barcaReport Abuse
spanyagora
No1 is 7points clear from No2 who is 9points clear from No3 ... therefore No1 is 16points clear from No3. This league is not very healthy.Report Abuse
