Vilanova wants 100 points for Barca

18 May 2013 16:17

Barcelona manager Tito Vilanova is hoping the target of matching Real Madrid's league record 100 points will keep his players motivated when the host Valladolid on Sunday.

The Catalans sealed their fourth title in five years last weekend, but can reach a century of points should they win their remaining three games and Vilanova wants to finish the campaign strongly.

"We have taken 91 points, which is a lot. We know we have the opportunity to get 100 and we will play the three games to win them," he told a press conference on Saturday.

"We can't just let it go, that is the only thing I wouldn't like. We owe it to the fans and we need to finish the year well."

Barca have endured an up and down season with the joy of the title tempered by their humiliation to Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of the Champions League, but Vilanova once again stressed that he believes his first season in charge has been an overall success.

"The fans are happy with the league. We have led from the first game to the last.

"It was important to recapture the league. The cycle which they said was ending, in the end has ended with a league, so for Barca I want to say that is has been a good season."

Victor Valdes has been passed fit to return against Valladolid in what could be his penultimate game as a Barca player at the Camp Nou with speculation linking the Spanish international with a move away at the end of the season after he said he wouldn't be renewing his contract which ends in 2014.

Javier Mascherano also returns to the squad after six weeks out, but Lionel Messi will not play again this season due to his hamstring injury.

Despite the tiredness they have shown in recent weeks, a number of Barca's Spanish internationals are likely to be called up for the Confederations Cup when Vicente del Bosque names his squad on the 27th of this month.

And although Vilanova admits he would prefer them to be rested, he accepts Del Bosque's intention to take the best squad available to him to Brazil in June.

"Personally, I would like for them to rest, but I understand that they will go. The national team manager wants to count on the best players."

Source: AFP