Barca need to play like they did in 2008, Iniesta says
Barcelona are looking to recapture the kind of form they hit when former coach Pep Guardiola, the club`s most successful manager, took over in 2008, midfielder Andres Iniesta said on Friday.
Barcelona are looking to recapture the kind of form they hit when former coach Pep Guardiola, the club`s most successful manager, took over in 2008, midfielder Andres Iniesta said on Friday.
The Catalan club are in the process of rebuilding after they failed to win major silverware last season for the first time in six years and coach Gerard Martino has been replaced by Luis Enrique.
Players including Uruguay forward Luis Suarez and Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic have arrived to join the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar and Iniesta said the players were excited about the new season starting next month.
"We want to get back to doing things well and making the fans happy," the Spain playmaker and club captain told a news conference.
"This year will be tough but we have the goal and the ambition to repeat (the successes of) the 2008-09 season," he added.
"We are tackling this year just like that one, with a lot of excitement."
Iniesta said there were "some similarities" with Barca`s situation now and in 2008 when Guardiola took over from Frank Rijkaard before going on to win 14 of the 19 competitions he contested during four seasons in charge, including two Champions League crowns and three La Liga titles.
"We are starting from scratch," Iniesta said.
"There have been a lot of changes but the level of excitement and desire is extremely high.
"The goals are the same as every season: win titles and start off on a good note to help us tackle the whole year."
Iniesta declined to offer a opinion on the ban Suarez earned for biting an opponent at the World Cup which will prevent him making his Barca debut until the end of October.
Barca lured the 27-year-old, who was banned twice previously for biting, from English Premier League club Liverpool this month for a reported fee of around 80 million euros ($108 million).
"He is one of the best forwards in the world," Iniesta said.
"For the players who make passes having a player with those characteristics is fundamental. He is a great signing for now and for the future."
Barca begin their La Liga campaign at home to Elche on the weekend of Aug. 23-24.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.