LA LIGA:Martino seeks positives from difficult season

03 May 2014 14:37:33
Barcelona coach Gerardo
Martino has enjoyed his first
season in charge at the club
despite a disappointing
season for the Spanish
champions, he said on Friday.
The Catalan side have stuttered into the
closing stages of the campaign and only
have a remote chance of winning the La Liga
as they trail leaders Atletico Madrid by four
points with three games left.
They were knocked out of the Champions
League in the quarterfinals by Atletico and
defeat in the King's Cup final by bitter rivals
Real Madrid means Barca have fallen well
short of expectations.
"It has been a year of learning for me, of a
team of this level, the league and of
European football," Martino told a news
conference ahead of the weekend match at
home to Getafe.
"How to manage with difficult situations, live
with the criticisms and the praises as well as
many other experiences. I think you learn
everywhere but especially here you learn a
lot and quickly.
"It has been a season with a lot of intensity
but I wouldn't say problematic. The club
receives a lot of attention and the first year
was always going to be difficult. The
analysis changes with the results. It is a
year where there has been a lot to learn and
incorporate in my career. I hope to take it all
on board."
The Argentine signed a two-year deal ahead
of this campaign but it includes a clause
which allows either party to cancel the
agreement after the first year.
He looks unlikely to stay and former
Barcelona favourite Luis Enrique, currently
coach of Celta Vigo, leads the list of
candidates to replace him.
"The chances until recently against Granada
have been high (to win the league) and we
had a lot of hope. We now continue with the
same desire that we have shown against
Athletic (Bilbao) and Villarreal," said
Martino.
"We hope to continue as far as we can and
do what is in our hands. It is still
mathematically possible even though the
likelihood is not very high.
"The players have the drive which was
important in their period of glory that they
have had. Even when things are not going
well they continue to battle."
Martino also had words of sympathy for
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola who
has been criticised for his style of football
following the German side's Champions
League mauling by Real Madrid.
"The comments that he and I receive cannot
be compared as what he has achieved is the
best in the history of football, not just
Barcelona," he said.
"He defined a new era. To praise Real Madrid
and Atletico Madrid it is not necessary to
discredit another style or another way of
thinking.
"On top of this, the Spain national side also
plays this way. If you discredit the short
passing game of Guardiola then you are also
saying that the national team is going to lose
as well."
© Reuters