Fabregas: "In Spain, we really care about the CWC"

At Barça's latest press conference in Japan, Fabregas said:

- In England, they dont' feel that it's an important competition, you don't see many news about it. But to the Spanish people it means a lot. If we win it, we can say we are champions of the world. And it's not always you can claim such a thing. Therefore, this final will be very important, the game of the season. All we want is to enter the pitch and do our best.

And Guardiola added:

- It's a title you don't always win. Of course that the Champions League is very important, but this one too, because we can't come here every year, only when we win the European title. Evidently, we have lot of interest in being world champions.

Guardiola also talked Santos, and about the 1992 final between Barcelona and São Paulo, in which he played for Barcelona, and São Paulo had a magical team coached by the great Telê Santana (who'd also been the coach behind the 1982 Brazil...........), with players like Raí and Cafú:

- I was able to watch some of Santos' videos. I've watched the match against Kashiwa, and also some of the stuff from the Libertadores. It's a team that's been winning many titles in Brazil and that reminds me of São Paulo's 1992 squad, both in physical and technical terms. A very strong team.

- In the last few years, we are favorites in 99% of the games we play, and dealing with that is that hardest part. It's something that doesn't assure us of anything. In 1992, Barcelona were the favorites, and still São Paulo won the final.

And then he talked about Santos again:

- The three men up front are very good. Neymar is fast. Ganso is brilliant. Borges is always very dangerous near the goal. Danilo is strong coming down through the right side. It's a very qualified adversary.

sources (in Portuguese) :

http://globoesporte.globo.com/futebol/mundial-de-clubes/noticia/2011/12/guardiola-alerta-para-perigos-do-santos-e-lembra-sao-paulo-de-92.html

http://globoesporte.globo.com/futebol/mundial-de-clubes/noticia/2011/12/fabregas-e-guardiola-veem-titulo-como-fundamental-para-o-barca.html

here's some highlights from the 1992 final

It's good that he's taking it so seriously. Hopefully the rest of the team is as well.

Btw sinatra have you seen the trailer of the danish move about the superclasico? https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-pH5Z-Av07k

Well ofc your taking it seriously when your being dry for 6 years.

The xcx wrote:Well ofc your taking it seriously when your being dry for 6 years.

lol

The xcx wrote:Well ofc your taking it seriously when your being dry for 6 years.

Dry? He lifted the super copa in front of your face. Also the UEFA Super Cup he won that too. ujelly Fab already has more trophies than Moudrid in the past few years?

Pique,Pep and Puyol also said they really wanted the trophy...

Lionel Messi wrote:

The xcx wrote:Well ofc your taking it seriously when your being dry for 6 years.

Dry? He lifted the super copa in front of your face. Also the UEFA Super Cup he won that too. ujelly Fab already has more trophies than Moudrid in the past few years?

I meant the part of when he was in Arsenal, know hes taking mickey mouse trophies seriously, but I dont blame him, who wouldnt.
Geez, your taking everything seriously, calm the fu*k down

Lionel Messi wrote:

The xcx wrote:Well ofc your taking it seriously when your being dry for 6 years.

Dry? He lifted the super copa in front of your face. Also the UEFA Super Cup he won that too. ujelly Fab already has more trophies than Moudrid in the past few years?

If those trophies count, then we're doing much much better than Cesc is.

Franz Beckenbauer Trophy, Trofeo Santiago Bernabeu (x2), etc...

UMAD?

If you guys don't remember, youtube the final the last time Pep was in it a couple years ago and his reaction at the final whistle. He was thrilled to win it. It's not just lip service he pays to the event he really thinks it's important.

Of course the English teams and fans for that matter don't take it seriously they treat the South American leagues like there just there to feed there teams with the best players and act like the teams couldn't possible compete with there second division.

Tomorrow's game will be awesome because Santos has had this circled on there calender since they won the Libertadores and Barca are also excited to be there, plus Messi is insanely competitive and don't think he hasn't been reading all the crap Pele has been talking. I can't wait.

Also, please watch the game people so you can recognize what a good TEAM Santos has. It was better last year and they lost some pieces but last years team would compete for Champions League spots in any big European league. They really had a very good group of players.

dnmac4 wrote:If you guys don't remember, youtube the final the last time Pep was in it a couple years ago and his reaction at the final whistle. He was thrilled to win it. It's not just lip service he pays to the event he really thinks it's important.

Of course the English teams and fans for that matter don't take it seriously they treat the South American leagues like there just there to feed there teams with the best players and act like the teams couldn't possible compete with there second division.

Tomorrow's game will be awesome because Santos has had this circled on there calender since they won the Libertadores and Barca are also excited to be there, plus Messi is insanely competitive and don't think he hasn't been reading all the crap Pele has been talking. I can't wait.

Also, please watch the game people so you can recognize what a good TEAM Santos has. It was better last year and they lost some pieces but last years team would compete for Champions League spots in any big European league. They really had a very good group of players.

easy on the generalisation. SAF and United took the trophy seriously, go and watch us in 08. As Ryan Giggs put it, to be in that competition, you have to win the champions league. It is the most exclusive club tournament.

jibers wrote:

dnmac4 wrote:If you guys don't remember, youtube the final the last time Pep was in it a couple years ago and his reaction at the final whistle. He was thrilled to win it. It's not just lip service he pays to the event he really thinks it's important.

Of course the English teams and fans for that matter don't take it seriously they treat the South American leagues like there just there to feed there teams with the best players and act like the teams couldn't possible compete with there second division.

Tomorrow's game will be awesome because Santos has had this circled on there calender since they won the Libertadores and Barca are also excited to be there, plus Messi is insanely competitive and don't think he hasn't been reading all the crap Pele has been talking. I can't wait.

Also, please watch the game people so you can recognize what a good TEAM Santos has. It was better last year and they lost some pieces but last years team would compete for Champions League spots in any big European league. They really had a very good group of players.

easy on the generalisation. SAF and United took the trophy seriously, go and watch us in 08. As Ryan Giggs put it, to be in that competition, you have to win the champions league. It is the most exclusive club tournament.

OK, what percentage of EPL fans would you say take the South American leagues seriously? I mean it's hard to convince them that La Liga and Serie A are good leagues let alone the Brazilian league which they NEVER watch.

Even the coach's and GM's to an extent as Serie A and La Liga recruit South America a lot harder then the EPL.

I mean there are exceptions to every rule, but when it comes down to it the EPL and there fans don't really respect the South American leagues. As a whole they don't go there that often in the pre season or play a lot of friendlies with them like La Liga and Serie A do. Again, I know some teams have and do but the reaction of fans on this forum and in general that put down or disrespect the South American leagues are usually EPL fans.

I mean I put down the EPL from time to time I will admit it. And no it's NOT JUST EPL fans on here who do it as most people on this site don't watch or care about the South American leagues, there's nothing wrong with it, it just is what it is.

jibers wrote:easy on the generalisation. SAF and United took the trophy seriously, go and watch us in 08. As Ryan Giggs put it, to be in that competition, you have to win the champions league. It is the most exclusive club tournament.

Didn't SAF want to snub the competition in '99?

BarrileteCosmico wrote:It's good that he's taking it so seriously. Hopefully the rest of the team is as well.

Btw sinatra have you seen the trailer of the danish move about the superclasico? https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-pH5Z-Av07k

LOL yes I saw that a while back. Unfortunately, it's one of the cheap Danish movies, you know, cheap comedy, etc, unlike movies made by Lars Von Trier, Susanne Bier, or Nicolas Winding Refn. But I guess it's worth checking out.

The xcx wrote:Well ofc your taking it seriously when your being dry for 6 years.

Ganso wrote:Pique,Pep and Puyol also said they really wanted the trophy...

Mascherano has said it as well. Obviously, he's an Argentine, and for them it's just as important as it is for us Brazilians. Messi probably takes it very seriously too.. Dani Alves, etc.

jibers wrote:

dnmac4 wrote:If you guys don't remember, youtube the final the last time Pep was in it a couple years ago and his reaction at the final whistle. He was thrilled to win it. It's not just lip service he pays to the event he really thinks it's important.

Of course the English teams and fans for that matter don't take it seriously they treat the South American leagues like there just there to feed there teams with the best players and act like the teams couldn't possible compete with there second division.

Tomorrow's game will be awesome because Santos has had this circled on there calender since they won the Libertadores and Barca are also excited to be there, plus Messi is insanely competitive and don't think he hasn't been reading all the crap Pele has been talking. I can't wait.

Also, please watch the game people so you can recognize what a good TEAM Santos has. It was better last year and they lost some pieces but last years team would compete for Champions League spots in any big European league. They really had a very good group of players.

easy on the generalisation. SAF and United took the trophy seriously, go and watch us in 08. As Ryan Giggs put it, to be in that competition, you have to win the champions league. It is the most exclusive club tournament.

It's well known in Brazil that on the first CWC organized by FIFA (back in 2000), United travelled to Brazil as if they were on vacation, partied, etc, didn't train at all, and then were obviously eliminated.
(Of course, that first FIFA CWC was misorganized, and a total joke, so I don't blame United or R. Madrid for not caring..)

dnmac4 wrote:

jibers wrote:

dnmac4 wrote:If you guys don't remember, youtube the final the last time Pep was in it a couple years ago and his reaction at the final whistle. He was thrilled to win it. It's not just lip service he pays to the event he really thinks it's important.

Of course the English teams and fans for that matter don't take it seriously they treat the South American leagues like there just there to feed there teams with the best players and act like the teams couldn't possible compete with there second division.

Tomorrow's game will be awesome because Santos has had this circled on there calender since they won the Libertadores and Barca are also excited to be there, plus Messi is insanely competitive and don't think he hasn't been reading all the crap Pele has been talking. I can't wait.

Also, please watch the game people so you can recognize what a good TEAM Santos has. It was better last year and they lost some pieces but last years team would compete for Champions League spots in any big European league. They really had a very good group of players.

easy on the generalisation. SAF and United took the trophy seriously, go and watch us in 08. As Ryan Giggs put it, to be in that competition, you have to win the champions league. It is the most exclusive club tournament.

OK, what percentage of EPL fans would you say take the South American leagues seriously? I mean it's hard to convince them that La Liga and Serie A are good leagues let alone the Brazilian league which they NEVER watch.

Even the coach's and GM's to an extent as Serie A and La Liga recruit South America a lot harder then the EPL.

I mean there are exceptions to every rule, but when it comes down to it the EPL and there fans don't really respect the South American leagues. As a whole they don't go there that often in the pre season or play a lot of friendlies with them like La Liga and Serie A do. Again, I know some teams have and do but the reaction of fans on this forum and in general that put down or disrespect the South American leagues are usually EPL fans.

I mean I put down the EPL from time to time I will admit it. And no it's NOT JUST EPL fans on here who do it as most people on this site don't watch or care about the South American leagues, there's nothing wrong with it, it just is what it is.

Yea maybe, but mostbepl fans are clueless. Same with most any fans tbh.