MADRID, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola was able to face the press with a smile on his face late on Tuesday night after watching his side win their first competitive match of the season.

    Despite having controlled both of their Primera Liga matches to date, Barca had only a defeat and a draw to show for their efforts and Guardiola had been criticized in the Barcelona press for his side's lack of effectiveness in front of goal.

    That changed against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League, where Rafael Marquez, Samuel Eto'o and Xavi Hernandez gave them a 3-1 win over the Portuguese side in the Camp Nou stadium.

    "I am very pleased that we have won and I can't deny it was important," admitted Guardiola in his post-match press conference reported on the club website.

    "It always helps when you win. I am certain that now we will be able to live through a few days of calm. But on Sunday we have another game (away to Sporting Gijon) and we have to keep on working," he said.