Tata Martino: "I would be lying if I said I enjoyed training Barça"

Tata Martino, the current Mexican coach, never wanted to comment on his only season, 2013-2014, training FC Barcelona.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
10 November 2022 Thursday 05:34
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Tata Martino: "I would be lying if I said I enjoyed training Barça"

Tata Martino, the current Mexican coach, never wanted to comment on his only season, 2013-2014, training FC Barcelona. Until this Wednesday when he briefly assessed his time after Mexico's victory against Iraq in Monitilivi. "I would be lying" if I said that his experience as a Barça coach was that of his "splendour" and the one that he felt the best and enjoyed the most, "because it was exactly the opposite."

The Super Cup was their first and only title in a year in which Barça did not win anything else. It was also the first year for Neymar, who played with Messi. The azulgrana team reached the final of the Copa del Rey, but lost 2-1 against Real Madrid, to which was added the loss in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

Martino added that for him "it was a great apprenticeship." He also clarified that if he repeats "continually" that it was "the worst year" of his career on the bench "it has to do" with something he feels "personally", for himself, since "in no way" can he feel "disappointed" to have been able to "manage one of the most important teams in the world". "There are no reproaches for anyone," concluded the coach, after assuring that he is not "disappointed" with Barcelona.

The Mexican team began the road to the World Cup in Qatar with a clear 4-0 win against Iraq with goals from Alexis Vega, Rogelio Funes Mori, Jesús Gallardo and Uriel Antuna from penalties.

The Mexican team -which is part of Group C of the World Cup along with Poland, Argentina and Saudi Arabia-, concentrated in Girona to prepare for the World Cup, barely needed three minutes to make their superiority clear: Jesús Gallardo crossed from the left wing and Vega scored the first goal of the night with a shot from the edge of the small area. Shortly after, a visiting defender deflected a header from Luis Chávez who was already on target.

At the break it started to rain, but it was the only change in the script, since the second half also started with Mexican dominance (79% possession in the first half) and with a goal in minute 3: Uriel Antuna ran down the right and crossed for Rogelio Funes Mori to score the 2-0.

The 3-0 came after the hour of play (68'), with a great shot from the left and inside the area by Gallardo. Already in added time, Antuna converted a penalty into hands to round off Mexico's victory in their first World Cup warm-up match. The second and last will be next Wednesday with Sweden, also on Spanish soil.

4 - Mexico: Alfredo Talavera; Nestor Araújo, Cesar Montes, Hector Moreno, Jesus Gallardo; Carlos Rodriguez, Hector Herrera, Luis Chavez; Robert Alvarado, Henry Martin and Alexis Vega. Luis Romo, Rogelio Funes Mori, Kevin Alvarez, Uriel Antuna, Jesus Angulo and Eric Sanchez also starred.

0 - Irak: Jalal Hachim; Ahmed Al-Kaabi, Karrar Al-Abbasi, Ali Atiyah, Munaf Al-Tekreeti, Hamzah Al-Hamadani; Mohammed Majid, Ibrahim Alkaabawi, Amjed Al-Magsoosi, Hussein Almajidi; y Aymen Ghadban. También jugaron Ahmed Gurgo, Hasan Sayyid, Hiran Rafiq, Amir Al-Ammari, Alai Hussain y Amar Muhsin.

Goals: 1-0, min. 3: Alexis Vega. 2-0, min. 48: Rogelio Funes Mori. 3-0, min. 68: Jesus Gallardo. 4-0, min. 90 2: Uriel Antuna from a penalty.

Referee: Cuadra Fernández (Spanish).

Incidents: Friendly match played at the Estadi Municipal de Montilivi before 1,661 fans. EFE