Football
9y

Pep Guardiola - Lionel Messi not only Barcelona player behind Bayern defeat

Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola declined to credit Lionel Messi for lifting Barcelona to their 3-0 win, saying instead that his former club prevailed with an overall "solid" performance.

The game was scoreless until the 72nd minute when Messi took over, scoring twice and setting up Neymar for a third, but Guardiola, who coached the Argentine at the Camp Nou before departing for Germany, said the game did not turn on one man's performance.

"I will not say what I think of Messi," Guardiola said. "They are not just Leo, Barca are a very good team. They were very solid, in defence and attack. They have great players, Neymar, Luis Suarez.

"We tried to control the game so that Messi would not participate so much. We were 15 minutes away from a very good result."

Guardiola's news conference lasted only a few minutes after Bayern failed to put a single shot on target and return to the Allianz Arena with an uphill fight ahead of them without the help of an away goal.

"I am very proud of this team, and these players," Guardiola said. "For three months we've had problems, reached here, won Bundesliga, competed as these players have done, for many years winning things.

"I have no reproach for them. Been a very difficult year, I really appreciate what they have done this year."

Guardiola opened the game with a back three but after about 15 minutes added another man to defence, allowing Bayern to gain a little more balance. 

"We knew who we would be playing against, a team arriving in very good form," Guardiola said of his tactics. "The best way to defend is to attack, it has worked well for us in the past.

"I could not come here and shut up shop. Against players at his level, Leo, and others, there is this possibliity if you lose the ball close to your area.

"We lacked a little bit of incision up front,  but I must just congratulate Barca for the win and prepare for Munich."

^ Back to Top ^