Guardiola keeping stars for Rome

Pep Guardiola confirmed he is set to continue wrapping his top players in cotton wool until the Champions League final.

No Spanish team has won the holy grail of Primera Division, Copa del Rey and European Cup but Barca are two-thirds of the way to achieving that feat after claiming the domestic double in the last six days.

And having clinched the league title on Saturday night without even playing due to Real Madrid's 3-2 defeat against Villarreal, Guardiola opted to ring the changes for last night's clash at Real Mallorca.

Seven first-team players, among them Lionel Messi, Xavi, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique and Yaya Toure, were promptly left out of the travelling squad once it was confirmed Barca had won the league, and a host of players from the club's B team were drafted in.

Barca, for whom Xavi Torres, Jeffren and Thiago all made their debuts, lost the match 2-1, but Guardiola has his eyes on a bigger prize and admits he is unlikely to risk many regular first-teamers for next weekend`s game against Osasuna either.

"My thinking is that a lot of the players will not play until the final in Rome. I don't want to take any risk, especially taking into account the number of players we already have out," said Guardiola, referring to Thierry Henry, Andres Iniesta, Rafael Marquez and Gabi Milito, who were all sidelined for last night's game.

"It helps us to have won the league as early as possible so we can disconnect a little and then switch back on for the final. With regards to the Champions League, it's a lot better to have already won the league."

Barca looked set to celebrate their title triumph with a victory in the Balearic Islands after taking a 10th-minute lead through Samuel Eto'o - one of only three regulars in the starting line-up alongside Eric Abidal and Dani Alves, who are both suspended for the Champions League final.

However, the youthful Barca side could not hold on and two quickfire goals from Juan Arango and Cleber Santana in the last 17 minutes earned Mallorca the win.

"It was a game where we had our chances. I can't complain about the performance of the team," said Guardiola, whose side had a chance to salvage a point but Eto'o missed a last-gasp penalty.

"Maybe we didn't play as well as could have but we did have chances to score. We had players out there we haven't played too much; today they have done and I don't have any criticisms at all."

Despite the weekend setback, Guardiola was full of praise for his players for their achievements this season.

It has been an incredible first season in charge for Guardiola, who had just one year`s coaching experience with Barca`s B team before he was promoted to replace Frank Rijkaard, but the 38-year-old former club captain preferred to let his players take most of the credit.

"The only reason (for the success) is the talent and commitment of the players," he said.

"I'm sure that with other players I would not be a league champion. In contrast, with a different coach, maybe the club would still have won the league.

"The key is their talent, humility and the fact they always hard work in every single game."

He added: "Football is about footballers. We coaches set out plans, some ideas and get them to follow them. All the rest is them, only them."