Puyol: "Tito is the best news"

The Barça captain has revealed the players’ satisfaction at Tito Vilanova’s appointment: “He knows the team and our philosophy better than anybody and has been working alongside Guardiola the whole time”.

Puyol went on to add: “He’s the ideal person to take this project forward”.

Puyol believes that Josep Guardiola "has marked a ‘before and after’ in football”.

Carles Puyol spoke at a press conference on Saturday which was, obviously, dominated by the news that Josep Guardiola is standing down as first team manager to be replaced by Tito Vilanova. He confirmed that the players “wanted Pep to continue” but on learning of his decision and the reasons behind it, he explained: “The fact that Tito will be the manger is the best news we could get. He’s the continuation of a project and has the support of all the players”.

Puyol also expressed his agreement with the thinking behind the choice of Tito Vilanova: “He knows the team and our philosophy better than anybody. He knows a great deal about football and has worked hand in hand with Pep all this time. It’ll be more or less the same as it has been up to now. The philosophy and the idea will be the same. He’s the ideal person to take this project forward”.

As for the mood of the players now that they know Guardiola is stepping aside, Puyol spoke mainly of gratitude: “We’ll be eternally grateful to him. He has marked a ‘before and after’ in football, and that’s really important. He’s given us so much, more than we could have imagined. Things like always going out to win, having great respect for opponents…Now life goes on and we will try and follow the path he has marked out for us and to do as good a job as he has done”.

Puyol also revealed how the players had heard the news: “If you’d asked us before the Chelsea match, we’d have said he was going to continue. After having two days off and, given everything that has been coming out, we were expecting it yesterday. We players have tried in our day to day work and attitude to get him to continue. We’ve given our all. But when the pressure is like he’s explained, it’s difficult. It must be really hard to be a manager, and even more so the way he lives it. He thinks about football 24 hours a day”.

Asked by reporters what he would most remember about Guardiola, Puyol didn’t hesitate a moment: “I’ll remember everything he’s given us. His way of understanding football. He’s left behind a legendary team that will be remembered for ever. I hope he gets the send-off he deserves, for everything he’s given us. The players are united and keen to take this project forward”.

Finally, turning to this Sunday’s match against Rayo, Puyol told reporters. “They will be motivated to win the match, the same as us. We’ll try and do a good job, get out there on the pitch the way we’ve always done and then we’ll see what happens”.

"Messi is very grateful to the boss"

Regarding Lionel Messi’s absence from the press conference in which Guardiola announced his departure, Puyol insisted: “I want to clear up what’s been said. When training finished yesterday, we got together and said that the four captains would go. Leo wanted to go but on seeing that the captains were going, he took a step back. Then more players appeared by their own volition. Leo is very grateful to the boss, just like all the squad, and if there’s a farewell do then we’ll all be there, because we’ll all 100% behind him”. (via FCBarcelona.com)

Carles Puyol: “we have to pick ourselves up – we have a very big game on Tuesday”

The Barça captain was disappointed with the defeat to Madrid, but appealed to the fans to get behind the team.

Puyol explained the players want to “get the Chelsea game started, so that we can put this defeat behind us and get on with things”.

Carles Puyol spoke on the Barça TV programme “El Marcador” following the defeat to Real Madrid and explained: “we are all a bit down, like all the Barça fans- it’s a big blow for us because we really thought we were in with a chance to take the league title. We’ll not let our heads drop though – we’ll keep fighting till the end and do our best for the fans, even though we know that it’s pretty much impossible now”.

Despite the result, Puyol insisted: “this has been a very good season and now we have two competitions left to win – the Cup and the Champions League”. Focus on Europe

Turning to Europe, Puyol believes: “we now have to focus on Tuesday – it’s a competition we are keen to win and we are close to another final.” Explaining the tactics the team need to employ against Chelsea, Puyol went on: “we have to be very aware of their counter attacks - I can see it being a similar game tactically to the Madrid match”. There’s still the chance that the two Spanish giants could meet in the Champions League final and for Puyol: “that would be a very attractive final, we’d have to see what would happen then, but for now we are centered on Tuesday”.

Finally, the Club captain sent the fans an upbeat message: “we have had some great seasons and we’ve all really enjoyed them. Sometimes you need to slip up in order to pick yourself up and I am sure that this team will be up there again. You have to judge all that we have achieved so far”. (via FCBarcelona.com)

Happy birthday, Carles!

FC Barcelona’s captain Carles Puyol celebrates his 34th birthday this Friday .

FC Barcelona’s captain Carles Puyol was born 34 years ago today. The captain has a lot to celebrate as he completes another year with Barça’s first team. For Guardiola, Puyol is the centerpiece of the team’s defence, in the last 7 matches he’s figured in the starting line-up 6 times; of the last 30, he’s led the team 24 times.

It’s worth noting that Puyol has played the second most matches in Club history (552), the only player to have played more official matches for FC Barcelona is his teammate Xavi Hernández (621). In fact, Puyol reached this mark recently. It was when he played in the Champions League quarterfinal against Milan (3-1).

Despite his age, this has been a fantastic season for the Catalan captain. While proving to be dependable on defence, the player has also shown to be dangerous on offence as well. In fact, Puyol has set a new personal record this year: he’s scored four goals this season - two in the Liga and two in the Cup - besting the his personal tally set in the 2001/02 and 2006/07 seasons, where he scored two goals. Happy birthday, Puyol! (via FCBarceloona.com)

The directive polls the renewal of Puyol

The club will poll the environment centre-back to its plans for the future. The goal is to hang up the boots dress azulgrana.

Barcelona has already moved part of the renewal of Puyol. The centre back his contract ends in June 2013 and the club azulgrana wants to expand the relationship with the footballer, which is already made ​​known to the player's agent. Contacts have already been started but both the player as Barcelona took time to get the best deal possible. Understand Zubizarreta, Barça's sporting director, it would be good for the club to end his career at Barcelona and the feeling you have is that Puyi is for the work.

The centre-back is delighted with his role in 'Pep Team', which is a key player in the team's defensive gear, and Guardiola has only praise for a player of legend. Barcelona already has its particular Maldini. "He says he wants to play until 40. Not bad, huh?. Depends solely on him. For as caring for and living the profession, until his physical will say enough. With this prodigious physical will and the people of La Pobla because your body will decide, "said the coach.

The centre back will be 35 on June 2013 but no doubt still has physical and motivation to continue at the highest level. Nor did his teammates. "The key to Puyi is playing with the motivation of youth," said Cesc in the mixed zone. Also the younger generation what a player is capital. For young people is a mirror for football level and commitment to the club. "I made ​​a special illusion to coincide with Puyol on the computer. For me has always been a benchmark, "says Muniesa, which came against Getafe in the final minutes. It is not the only one subsidiary that is set to Puyol. So do Bartra and Sergi Gómez, azulgrana captain with the same eyes that made Carles with Maldini.

In the first team there are many who admire the constancy of the master and the new hallucinate with him despite the good reputation that precedes it. "I see him running and I feel like running to me too," says Alexis. Thiago also admires the central and understand that this is a capital player in the locker room. "He's a character that motivates us, going to balls that no one could get. There is a dependency, but it is a vital player for the team. "At 34, Puyol remains the same in the field, but has learned to tune out most of the football in his spare time. The arrival of Piqué, a brother to him, was very important in this regard. Gerard is one that believes it will not be easy to fill the void the day you leave. "I can not imagine, but it will happen. Puyi has taught me much, "he said in an interview to 'El Pais'. They form one of the best couples avenues of world football. Also this season. A course that Puyol is being wild again on defense. Right back. Left back. Central. No matter if a defense of three or four. He is always ready.

The best Puyol is back after a season, 2011-12, in which he had to deal with a serious injury that dogged much of the season. (via SPORT)

For Puyol no pain

In seconds, the referee after being warned by the doctor of Zaragoza, was a point to live with a staple.

One of the shocking moments of Saturday's match came when in the second half and after a jump, Carles Puyol made ​​a small gap in front of which was bleeding for a few minutes.

The player immediately realized, but not to force him to leave the pitch and leave his team with ten players, went to the band and Pep Guardiola warned of the circumstances.

He did more than anything that doctors were ready and lose as little time as possible. He then returned to the box waiting for the right time to go to stop the bleeding.

However, the head of the medical services of Real Zaragoza, Óscar Luis Celada, realized that something was going to witness the conversation between 'Puyi' and Pep and to see her colleague Ricard Pruna placed gloves.

After verifying that Puyol was bleeding, went to the fourth official and warned him about it. Turienzo Alvarez was also warned and forced the central brave exit the field. There is also the chance that the doctor of the whole Aragon and Puyol long known as the first is also the doctor who usually accompanies the Spanish national team.

Anyway, so for any other player would of course be a couple of minutes away, for Puyol only lasted 30 seconds. The azulgrana captain ran to the band. Nervous, he sat down and tried to put a plaster, but soon Dr. Pruna stapled his wound while the player he got in a hurry.

"Go, go, go," said Puyol. So, without anesthetic or anything and without a groan, the defender returned to the party. In Zaragoza could not believe what was happening. Then asked about it, the player joked. "Too bad this can not add," he said in the mixed zone of the stadium of La Romareda. (via MD)

The four captains in the historic Top Ten games played with Barça

Iniesta, with 397 games, came on Saturday in the 'club of the ten', which were already Xavi, Puyol and Víctor Valdés.

The current Barça team is a legend and there are statistics that underscore: Xavi Hernández, Carles Puyol, Víctor Valdés and Andrés Iniesta, the four captains of the current campus, are already among the ten most-capped players in the 112 years of club .

Xavi, with 619 games, is the most capped player has worn the jersey of the first team with 70 games ahead of the second, Puyol. The defense, with 549, tied in the ranking with another historical myth, Migueli, who will be broken Tuesday morning Puyol if it is one of the side that faces the Milan.

The goalkeeper Víctor Valdés also has the honor to be in the 'Top Ten' presences. At the moment, is the fourth ex aequo with Carles Rexach, who as 'Panther Gavà' played 449 games. The presence of Valdes secure tomorrow's match at the Camp Nou will allow reach 450.

The latest to join this select dozen is Andres Iniesta. The '8' azulgrana celebrated with a goal against Athletic entering the 'Club 10', to play his game 397, equaling the record of Quimet Rifé. In a few months may have another illustrious representative of this template in the 'Top Ten', Leo Messi, who is also just 24 years and above the 300 games (317). (via MD)