Xavi: “Unzué deserves everything, we’re here to help”
Guardiola: “Seeing the Camp Nou full is a gem”
BARCELONA, 25 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Former footballer and coach from Navarra Juan Carlos Unzué showed his joy at the great success of the charity match between FC Barcelona and Manchester City, which ended in a draw (3-3), with the aim of raising funds to fight against ALS, a match in front of 91,962 attendees that it has become “a very successful reality” on an idea that a year ago “was a dream”.
“A year ago it was a dream that has become a very successful reality. How they have helped us and accompanied us is very much appreciated. As much as they repeat it, I cannot thank the people and the two clubs for today “, affirmed Unzué in the joint press conference with Xavi Hernández and Pep Guardiola.
“I thought it would be a dream to reach 80,000 spectators, but people from the club told me that in the last 15 days many tickets have been sold and that in the last three it’s milk. They knew what they were talking about,” added the Navarrese, who a little over two years ago he was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), a neurodegenerative disease that currently has no care.
Asked if he will organize a meeting of the magnitude of what happened again, Unzué acknowledged the difficulty involved. “It’s not easy to set up these games. Football can generate fantastic revenue, it unites people, today it has shown it. I spoke with LaLiga two years ago to find out if a game could be made and they told me they had 300 cases like this”, pointed.
The host of the Camp Nou tonight was present on both benches, one in each part with Xavi and Pep. “On the benches I have realized that you don’t see anything. Accustomed to seeing them on television or in the stands, either you are clear about what you have worked on or it is not easy to know what is happening,” he said.
“We have already been making a lot of noise. We need faster deadlines because this disease waits for nothing. Every day it takes three from the ELA team and three more join the team. We want to live, despite the limitations, and be happy. We need help and that the administrations think of us,” he said.
XAVI: “UNZUÉ DESERVES EVERYTHING, WE ARE HERE TO HELP”
For his part, the FC Barcelona coach highlighted the work of Unzué, who “deserves everything”. “Today there has been a show with a game, but it is secondary. Society has to shake hands and today we have done it. We are here to help, that is what Johan Cruyff said, if we have the opportunity to help someone we have to do it” , he nuanced
“Unzué is an example of humanity, values and principles. The heart he has is extraordinary. What has been achieved is thanks to him. Very happy to participate in this cause. It shows that we are more than a club one more day”, reflection.
GUARDIOLA: “TO SEE THE FULL CAMP NOU IS A JEWEL”
The Manchester City coach, Pep Guardiola, praised the Barça team and the stadium where the man from Santpedor spent great nights as a player and coach. “We had a very nice day with the Camp Nou full, a jewel to see it like this. It’s always nice to see the stadium like this and to have a good collection for the fight against ELA”, he said.
“Barça showed that it was more than a club in the semifinals of women’s football, by filling the Camp Nou. It is a very special club, we all know it,” added Guardiola, who also raised Xavi’s management at the helm of the team.
“It has made a great impression on me, from the outside they read the positions well, they have signed very well, they have a very large squad, it has been a great test for us. If you don’t go to the limit, you don’t see the ball, with aggressiveness in the first passes. Xavi knows a lot about football, he loves Barça very much and he will do very well. I wish him the best, it would only be missing”, he sentenced.