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Barcelona boss Guardiola not obsessing over looming Real Madrid clash

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola isn't obsessing over their looming clash with Real Madrid.

An 8-0 victory over Almeria is just the performance Barca would have been looking for ahead of next Monday's mouthwatering El Clasico against unbeaten Madrid at the Nou Camp, although Guardiola insists not too much should be read into the result.

The Barca coach, whose side have a Champions League match with Panathinaikos to play before hosting Primera Division leaders Madrid, said: "We must still go to Greece. We didn't play here to send any warning out to anybody.

"What we've done is to respect our opponents and do what we had to do to win the game."

Barca, who have not been as clinical in front of goal this season as they would have liked, could hardly have had a better start to the clash as they raced into a 5-0 lead inside the opening 37 minutes.

Guardiola lauded his side for making the most of their opportunities, saying: "It's not easy to talk after such a one-sided result.

"We scored nearly every time we went forward, unlike other days. I want to congratulate the team on their effectiveness.

"In the first half we had the same chances as other times. In those matches we struggled to score goals, and here it's been the opposite."

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