MADRID — Barcelona will not play for a goalless draw in Tuesday's Spanish Cup semifinal return with Real Madrid even though it would be enough after stalemate in the opening leg, assistant coach Jordi Roura said Monday. "We never speculate on the outcome of a match — Barca always are set up to attack and tomorrow, come what may, our intention is to go out and win," said Roura, standing in for coach Tito Vilanova, who is undergoing cancer treatment in New York. The two sides drew 1-1 in the first leg at the Bernabeu. "We have seen that some of the goals have been conceded through our own fault and we will try to correct that," Roura, standing in for Tito Vilanova while he recovers from throat surgery, told a news conference. Barca midfielder Cesc Fabregas said he and his teammates will also need to be as ruthless as Real in taking their chances. "We have to be as effective as possible in the return game because they are," he told Barca TV Monday. "We have to be on good form in front of goal if we want to get through," added the former Arsenal captain. "It's crucial to score and not to sit back and wait and see what happens." Barca has an ultra-busy schedule coming up as it hosts Real in the Cup and then takes it on in the league, though there it has a 12-point advantage over second-placed Atletico Madrid with Real third, 16 points off the pace. The Catalan club also has a mountain to climb if it is to overturn its Champions League round of last-16 opening leg deficit against AC Milan and keep its European hopes alive. The pressure is, however, at least as intense upon Real coach Jose Mourinho, rumored to be in his final season in charge of the Meringues and who also has to conjure some European magic after his club could only draw its Champions League home encounter with Manchester United. The Spanish Cup would be a mere consolation prize but Mourinho is still treating it with the utmost seriousness. On Monday, he said that Barca will always be a stiff test whatever the circumstances — even after its demoralizing showing in Milan. "There is no good moment (to meet them) when two great teams clash. Barca is always a very important rival. From that point of view when you take them on is immaterial," said Mourinho, who indicated he had not decided on the team he will send out to do battle in the Nou Camp. He did say, however, that midfielder Xabi Alonso and Karim Benzema had shrugged off fitness concerns and were ready to play. — Agencies
