Pep Guardiola already trusted him when, being a coach, made Barcelona B to promote from the Spanish Tercera División to Segunda División B. Then he was known as Pedrito. Pep turned him into Pedro Rodríguez Ledesma (Tenerife 28-7-87). Since that moment they have shared three years and ten titles.
- Champions League and Liga. Is it a good result or you wanted all?
The result is great. It’s a shame that Real Madrid won the Spanish King’s Cup, a championship we would have wanted to get also, but generally we can say that the season has been good.
- It was difficult to get it all. The two biggest clubs have fought for the leadership in Spain and Europe.
Yes, Real Madrid and Barcelona have fought for the leadership. The season brought us a very difficult challenge, that was to fight for all the titles against them, and we have won the two most important ones, and saying this I don’t want to discredit the King’s Cup. We performed a good football… But we know that next season will be hard again.
- You say that because Madrid has already signed Sahin, Altintop and Callejón. They are eager for success.Barcelona will also maintain that thirst?
After getting so many titles we still have the ambition to repeat something great, but we know that each time it will be more complicated to win, because the teams are reinforcing even more and they are also each time more eager to beat us. I’m sure that Real Madrid will be again our toughest rival. They have a great team and they show it. With the players they are signing and the team they have, they will be again the enemy.
- Mourinho’s team is closer to Barcelona’s level?
We don’t know if they will be closer. It’s normal that they sign players. When a team is at its peak there are always other teams, like Manchester and Madrid, which want to take away your power. But we are in a good moment, with very talented players, and we try to make the most of it. We have a great coach who is the most responsible of that this all is happening.
- Real Madrid is the rival that most studied Barcelona to win them. They were obsessed with you.
Yes, they studied us; they focused on it to try to stop us. Mourinho put a lot of players in the midfield, marking our most creative players, like Xavi, Andrés (Iniesta), Leo (Messi)… They were a tough rival, very physical and aggressive. That’s the way their coach thought he could stop us, and it’s not worthy to keep talking about how those four clashes went. It was a nice show. And it went well for us: We got these two titles. Everybody looks for a way to win Barcelona.
- Barcelona has become the reason for the improvement of its eternal rival.
We are the incentive for Real Madrid, that’s normal, because they are also a big club and they need the titles.
- The White team was more difficult to beat than Manchester?
Yes, they have been the toughest rival. And we got away with it. But we must also stress the season Manchester United, Champion of the Premier League, made, which played at a high level.
- Rossi is coming. Do you need more reinforcements? This year you were affected by Puyol and Abidal’s absences
It’s true that their injuries were a little problem, but we solve it with the Academy players. The club will decide if they sign someone, but with the team we have by now everything went very well.
- Did the players of the two big teams talk already to solve the problems of the four ‘clasicos’?
We have talked about some things. We are calm and with time we will talk more and will forget all that things. We haven’t had any especial meeting and I don’t think it’s necessary. It’s true that there were some falling outs, but they stay there. Each one defends his own team and it’s normal that some people do it in one way and others in a different way. Those matches are already finished and now we have to think about the National Team, in defending ourselves as a united group. It’s true that there were some attitudes and gestures than we didn’t like and so did they, but it’s not worthy to keep talking about it.
- Don’t you think it’s better to leave things clear from the beginning and that’s all?
We talked about it then. They know what we thought about them then and we also know what they think about us. Now the good ambience is back, this is the national team.
- Did you talk with Arbeloa?
I’ve talked with Arbeloa. He has been with me on the table. There isn’t any problem.
- Define Guardiola.
I will be always thankful to Pep for trusting me. He’s the best coach of the world. I hope he continues a lot of years, because with him we will get more things. He has a wide knowledge of the game. He knows everything what’s happening at the pitch and what we have to do to win. He talks a lot with the players; he keeps all of them motivated.
- And Del Bosque?
He is different. He also talks a lot with the players and wants to play beautiful, creating scoring opportunities by having the ball. About their way of acting, Del Bosque is more human and Guardiola is more technical about the way of winning the match.
- Mourinho completes the trio of the three best coaches of the world. What do you think about him?
He uses the players in his objective to try to win the matches and get titles. He has done it this year. Every team he has been has won titles and the players support him, so he’s a great coach.
- You have won everything. Do you still have a dream to fulfill?
To get a Euro Cup with the national team, a title I still don’t have. And keep getting more things with Barcelona.
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