Barcelona happy with Guardiola

Barcelona president Joan Laporta is confident that his club made the right decision in appointing Pep Guardiola as their new head coach just over a year ago.

Guardiola has enjoyed a superb first 12 months in the Camp Nou hot-seat, guiding Barca to five trophies, including La Liga and the Champions League, having been given the nod ahead of Jose Mourinho - who is now in charge at Internazionale.

Laporta told Sport: "We did not hire Jose Mourinho because, after evaluating all the possibilities, we decided that Pep Guardiola met all our conditions.

"It was a decision that we felt would work and that has been the case. Jose Mourinho is one of the people we considered but, by not hiring him, that does not diminish his ability. He is a great coach, but we are happy with Guardiola."

Meanwhile, Laporta has told Inter president Massimo Moratti to forget about trying to sign Barca ace Lionel Messi.

"I know that Moratti's big dream is to have Lionel Messi at Inter," He added in Il Corriere Dello Sport, "but he has been informed that Messi will soon sign a new contract. He grew up with us and developed here and so he will stay at Barcelona for a long time."

*************

The Spanish Football League have allowed Real Zaragoza to complete the signing of midfielder Angel Lafita from Deportivo La Coruna.

The 25-year-old spent the last two seasons with Depor, before Zaragoza exercised a buy-back option this summer.

However, the two clubs had been at loggerheads over the size of the fee payable for Lafita's services and Depor are less than happy at the verdict handed down by the LFP.

President Augusto Cesar Lendoiro told his club's official website: "The league have not answered the real question, which is the financial one.

"It can be taken for granted he is a Zaragoza player, but what is being disputed is the cost of the move."