Barcelona aiming to take winning streak into 2010

Deepak Jain>Thu, Dec 31 09 04:51 PM

Madrid, Dec 31 (DPA) Barcelona are hoping to start 2010 in the same way that they finished 2009, by playing well and winning.

Josep Guardiola's talented team crowned their 'annus mirabilis' by winning the World Club Cup in Abu Dhabi, their sixth trophy of the year.

Now they aim to star 2010 by beating dangerous Villarreal at home on Saturday.

The match will be preceded by a parade of the six trophies. Guardiola, however, is trying to make his players leave these triumphs behind them - and think about the future.

Right-back Dani Alves on Wednesday called Guardiola 'an intelligent man' and claimed that 'if we follow him, we are going to go very far.'

Alves promised the fans that 'there will be no relaxation, because he (Guardiola) is always there, putting into our minds that winners can only continue to win with ambition.'

Barca will be without Seydou Keita and Yaya Toure throughout January because of the African Cup of Nations. True to his philosophy, Guardiola prefers to bring several youngsters into the squad rather than enter into the winter transfer market.

Youngsters Victor Vazquez, Gai Assulin, Thiago and Jonathan de los Santos have been training with the first-team squad all week. They all stand a good chance of being in the squad for the Villarreal match, because Andres Iniesta and Jeffren are injured - and Lionel Messi and Rafa Marquez do not return from holiday until Saturday.

Leaders Barca are two points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, who are away to Osasuna Sunday.

Villarreal, for their part, have recovered from their bad start and are now ninth.

Promising midfielder David Fuster said on Wednesday that 'if we go to the Camp Nou with fear, they will destroy us. We have to be very concentrated, waiting for our chances to come.'

Also on Saturday, third-placed Sevilla - still without injured South Americans Luis Fabiano, Federicao Fazio and Lautaro Acosta - are away to crisis club Atletico Madrid, whilst fourth-placed Valencia are at home to Espanyol.

In chilly Pamplona on Sunday, Real will be without injury victims Kaka, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Guti, though it is hoped that Raul Albiol will be fit.

Sunday's other games are as follows: Almeria-Xerez, Getafe-Valladolid, Mallorca-Athletic Bilbao, Racing Santander-Tenerife, Sporting Gijon-Malaga and Zaragoza-Deportivo Coruna.

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