Coach Guardiola warns star striker to control his temper

MADRID: Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic needs to control his temper and accept the decisions made by match officials or he risks letting down the team, according to coach Pep Guardiola.

The Swede, who moved to Barca from Inter Milan in the close season, protested a host of decisions in Barca's 1-1 La Liga draw at home to Villarreal on Saturday and was booked in the 88th minute for a reckless lunge at Diego Godin.

"He's a temperamental player and we need to be a bit careful because we might end up one day with 10 players," Guardiola said.

"Ibrahimovic needs to be strong and he is capable of doing it as he's a great player," he said. "He can't control the referees' decisions."

Barcelona dropped their first home points this season and the champions have 40 points from 16 matches but second-placed Real could overhaul them on goal difference with a victory at Osasuna on Sunday.

Guardiola had given World Player of the Year Lionel Messi a few extra days holiday and the Argentina forward was watching from the stands at a rain-soaked Nou Camp.

After presenting the six trophies won last year to their fans before kickoff, Barcelona took the lead in the seventh minute and appeared on track for an eighth home win of the campaign.

Thierry Henry lashed a superb first-time shot against the bar and Pedro controlled the rebound on his chest before arrowing a drive into the far corner of the net.

The visitors worked well to deny space to Barca's creative midfielders and David Fuster had a chance to level just before the half hour but his downward header bounced just over the bar.

Fuster made amends six minutes after the break when he met Cani's cross at the far post and beat goalkeeper Victor Valdes with a low half-volley.

With the rain lashing down, Villarreal keeper Diego Lopez palmed away a curling effort from substitute Andres Iniesta in the 65th minute and Barca captain Carles Puyol cleared a Giuseppe Rossi effort off the line in the 87th.

Crashing header

Guardiola had warned his all-conquering side against complacency before the match and said the result would make the players stronger and more committed.

"It was a very tough game, returning from the holidays to play one of the best teams like Villarreal," he said.

The team needed to "fine-tune a few things" and recuperate for Tuesday's King's Cup last 16, first leg match against Sevilla, he said.

Elsewhere on Saturday, substitute Nikola Zigic netted in the third minute of added time to give Valencia a 1-0 win over Espanyol and lift them into third place above Sevilla.

Valencia have 32 points, two ahead of the Andalusians, who squandered the lead and conceded a goal in the fourth minute of added time to lose 2-1 at Atletico Madrid.

Sevilla also had midfielder Aldo Duscher dismissed for a second yellow card in the 73rd minute.

Renato had put them in front just before the break when he looped a header over Atletico keeper Sergio Asenjo from Diego Perotti's corner.

Atletico leveled when an attempted clearance by Sevilla keeper Andres Palop three minutes into the second half cannoned back off defender Ivica Dragutinovic into the empty net.

With a draw looking likely, captain Antonio Lopez burst into the penalty area to send a firm header into the net for his side's first home win since the end of November.

AFP/Reuters

(China Daily 01/04/2010 page22)