Manchester City manager Josep “Pep” Guardiola Sala has finally debunked rumors linking him to the managerial role of his former club, FC Barcelona.
The former Spanish International made these comments after overseeing his side beat Sheffield United in the Premier League last Saturday.
He seemingly ruled out any possibility of returning to Camp Nou, insisting his “period as Barcelona manager is over.”
Pep Guardiola is in the final six months of his contract with Manchester United, and with Barcelona President Josep Bartomeu announcing he will be stepping down as president following the club’s failures on and off the pitch last season, there has been calls for a return of the Manchester City manager to the Camp Nou.
One of such people is Barcelona presidential candidate Victor Font, who announced he wanted to bring Guardiola back so as to arrange a reunion between the 49-year-old and Lionel Messi.
He told Sky Sports earlier this week “It is our intention to build a very strong and competitive project and we are very lucky at Barca that we inherited a style of play that Johan Cruyff instilled throughout the organization, and most of the best professionals who know about this style are also fans and love the club – like Pep Guardiola, Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta, [Carlos] Puyol,”
“They are all legends that love Barcelona but do not work for Barca today – we need to bring them back to ensure we will have a very competitive project”, he added.
However, Guardiola, who began his coaching career at Camp Nou, winning 14 major trophies between 2008 and 2012, including three La Liga titles and two Champions League crowns, indicated that he won’t be going back to Barca anytime soon. Instead, he stressed that he wishes to extend his stay at the Etihad Stadium, by overseeing a successful 2020-21 campaign.
“My period as Barcelona manager is over. I think once in a lifetime you have to do things,” Guardiola said at Bramall Lane on Saturday afternoon.
“There are incredible people who can be in charge there, now for example Ronald Koeman. It’s over, I will come back to my city to see my club, to watch the game, it’s done.”
