Barcelona vs Espanyol preview - Pep promises happy ending

Posted Saturday, May 05, 2012 by PA

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has promised his dethroned champions will continue to put on a good show as he prepares for an emotional farewell to the home fans in his final Primera Division match at the Nou Camp.

The 41-year-old confirmed last Friday that he would step down at the end of the season, ending a trophy-laden four years at the helm of his boyhood club which has yielded three La Liga titles, two Champions League crowns, one Copa del Rey, three Supercopas, two UEFA Super Cups and two FIFA Club World Cups.

The most his team can hope for this term is another Copa del Rey triumph - they face Athletic Bilbao in the final later this month - after surrendering their league crown to arch rivals Real Madrid in midweek and being knocked out of the Champions League by Chelsea 10 days ago.

But - speaking ahead of his final game on home turf against local rivals Espanyol, when the club and fans will pay tribute to their departing coach - Guardiola insisted his players would not be distracted from their usual stylish brand of football.

"The fans will come to see a game of football and, although we only have the cup left to prepare for, we will try to put on a good show," he said at his pre-match press conference.

"The farewell will always be secondary, because there is a football match. We are playing a derby and the fans will come to see a football match, not a farewell.

"I don't feel comfortable with goodbyes, but I know that I've been quite a public person and that it's normal that this can happen. I'm trying to make sure that the fans understand that it's a football match, against our city rivals.

"I hope the fans behave naturally. I'm grateful to the club for the planned acts but I hope the fans act naturally."

He added: "If I hadn't won all these titles I wouldn't have had this opportunity to say goodbye. The fans react like that because of everything the players have given. We've had very good games and I'm sure these players will continue giving a lot of joy.

"I've not been here to get into the history books. I've only tried to make my own history, do to my job as best I can can, like everybody. Time, the memory of the fans, will decide how I've done. I've never had the desire to enter into history. In the end they are numbers."

Asked whether he will return, the former Barca ball-boy and captain replied: "I still haven't gone yet! You never know. I've still got three games left."

Barca beat Malaga 4-1 on Wednesday, but Madrid's 3-0 triumph at Athletic Bilbao later in the evening ensured a first league title since 2008 for the capital club.

Guardiola was as gracious as ever after his team missed out.

"When a team get so many points, as is the case with Real Madrid, it is because they are the best. I've always thought that to beat a rival like Madrid you need to play very, very, very well. And at times even that isn't enough. When a team gets the points they have it's because they deserve it."

Defender Gerard Pique again trained separately from the group yesterday following the head knock he picked up against Chelsea. Midfielder Xavi was back involved after a calf injury.

Espanyol have little left to play for in their two remaining league games this season, with their top-flight status secured, and too much ground to make up for a Europa League berth having looked well positioned just a couple of months ago.

A run of one win in nine games - including defeats in their last three - has seen Los Pericos slip to 13th in the standings, but striker Walter Pandiani is hoping his side can soften the disappointment of their poor end to the campaign with a win over Barca.

He told a press conference broadcast on the club's website: "For some players the season has been very long and they have been tired for the home straight.

"We deserve to be higher placed on our performances but the errors we have committed means we have lost a lot of places. It seems like we have to save our season by beating Barca."

Coach Mauricio Pochettino has named a 19-man squad for the derby, with forward Kalu Uche taking the place of teenager Thievy Bifouma after shrugging off his injury problems.

However, striker Sergio Garcia, a Euro 2008 winner with Spain, is not fit to face Barca.