City made it two wins in the space of four days by getting the better of the Tykes at the Academy Stadium, after beating Preston 2-0 on Tuesday evening.
We then play host to another Championship outfit in Blackpool in three days’ time before we lock horns with Leicester in the Community Shield the following weekend.
And the City boss insists that getting as many minutes as possible under the belt is the most effective method of sharpening up ahead of the new campaign.
“The best way to get your condition and remember what we are is by playing games,” he declared following the Barnsley clash.
“Pre-season, there a lot of things to improve, the opponent wanted to try to play and stay high.
“We connected better in the second half than the first but yes, it was a good test.
“Next Tuesday (we have) another (game), for the players, for everyone, it’s good.”
There was a familiar face in the opposition dugout for Guardiola, with Barnsley head coach Markus Schopp a former teammate of the Catalan during his brief stint at Italian outfit Brescia.
And the City boss praised the manner in which Schopp set up his side on the high press, believing it brought out the best in both our own performance and the occasion as a whole.
He reflected: “I think they wanted to try to play, and second half they did it.
“Barnsley’s a young team with my friend and colleague Markus Schopp, we were friends in Brescia, it was so delightful to know him and hopefully he can have a good season.
“It was a good game, they tried to play, we created chances and defended in circumstances really good so yeah, a good game.”
