Iniesta: I hope Guardiola signs Barcelona extension

Iniesta: I hope Guardiola signs Barcelona extension

20-Feb-2012 3:15:00 PM

The attacking midfielder wants the Blaugrana boss to stay put, and urged his team-mates to keep picking up three points and hope Madrid stumble in the title race

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta has made it clear that he wants coach Pep Guardiola to stay on at the helm of the current world club champions.

Lionel Messi had previously stated that the entire team wants the successful trainer to remain at Camp Nou, and Iniesta has now joined his colleagues in persuading Guardiola to extend his expiring contract.

"I hope that he renews and that he stays with us for a long time. He has to decide and he knows that the team wants him to stay. That’s everyone’s wish. Guardiola is eager. We have a lot of beautiful things still yet to see," Iniesta was quoted as saying on the club's official website.

The midfielder then went on to discuss his side's 5-1 La Liga win over Valencia on Sunday, and stressed that they should always perform like they did against los Che.

"We always try to offer up a good performance. The truth is that we have to keep on winning three points each game and hope that Real Madrid falter. The team need to play like this to aspire to the three titles."

Barcelona currently sit second in La Liga with 51 points from 23 games, 10 points behind Madrid.

Since November, Goal.com has been publishing exclusive extracts from Graham Hunter's highly-anticipated new book, 'Barca: The Making of the Greatest Team in the World'. The very last extract, which was published last Friday, looks at Andres Iniesta's risky return from injury in the 2009 Champions League Final and how he was described by Wayne Rooney as the 'best midfielder in the world'. Don't miss it!