Barcelona's Pep Guardiola: Penalty calls were correct & we deserve to be in the semis - 7M sport

Barcelona's Pep Guardiola: Penalty calls were correct & we deserve to be in the semis



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Posted Wednesday, April 04, 2012 by Goal.com

Barcelona's Pep Guardiola: Penalty calls were correct & we deserve to be in the semis

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has launched a staunch defence of his side, with criticism mounting in some quarters after they were awarded two penalties during their 3-1 win over AC Milan in their Champions League quarter-final second-leg clash at Camp Nou.

Referee Bjorn Kuipers’ decision to give the Catalans a pair of spot-kicks in the match has already attracted its fair share of controversy, with Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic claiming a Uefa conspiracy to put Barcelona in the final.

However, a defiant Guardiola has maintained that both calls were fully warranted, and has hit out at detractors such as Ibrahimovic and Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, insisting that Barcelona’s record speaks for itself.

"We didn't complain on penalties on the first leg. The replays show that it was a penalty both times. When you're holding the shirt of a player in the box, it’s a penalty. I’ve been taught this since I was a kid,” declared Guardiola to reporters after the match.

“If Mister Ibrahimovic or Mourinho think we don’t deserve our qualification and that we are winning thanks to referees, I’ll say to them that we are going to play a semi-final for the fifth time in a row. And that actually means something."

The Catalan boss then went on to justify his side’s presence in their fifth straight semi-final, a record in the Champions League era.

“They [Milan] have had the odd counterattack, but they had three shots at goal and we had 21. We had a lot of goalscoring opportunities, with three defenders and with four,” observed Guardiola.

“We were playing against Milan, who have seven Champions League trophies and very good players who could cause us problems. If people expected us to win 7-1, that's unrealistic. Things don't work like that.”

Guardiola also refused to speculate on his side’s next opponents, with Barcelona set to face the winner of the Chelsea-Benfica quarter-final, the English side holding a 1-0 advantage after the first leg in Lisbon.

“We have to be very careful when we talk about our next rival,” cautioned the Barca coach.

“Benfica created a lot of chances against Chelsea [in the first leg]. They still have a good chance of getting through.”



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