- Catalan starred at Camp Nou as player & coach
- May return to his roots at some stage
- Currently working on a deal through to 2025
WHAT HAPPENED? The current boss of Manchester City has committed to a new contract with the reigning Premier League champions through to 2025, meaning that he will not be going anywhere any time soon. He has, however, previously enjoyed success at Camp Nou as a player and coach, and has obvious emotional ties with the Catalan club.
WHAT THEY SAID: Guardiola has spoken to reporters, when picking up the Best Manager award at the Catalan Football Federation's annual gala, of his future plans and whether he could return to his roots: “It's a bad way to see it that I have to go back, because Pep left and Barca kept winning. You shouldn't think like that. If I thought I was essential, I would return, but that's not the case. There are stages, there are processes, and if one day I have to meet again, we will meet again naturally.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Guardiola added that he feels there are enough challenges in England to keep him occupied: “I feel very good there, very comfortable, they give me everything and I have very good friends close by. To continue you have to have very good players and when you have continuity in a club it's because those above give you a lot of support. The city is not Barcelona, I'm not at home. Nothing is comparable to Barca, because here everything is on the surface, if I am here it is because Barca gave me everything and I will never be grateful enough. At City I feel at home.”
IN TWO PHOTOS:
GettyWHAT NEXT? Guardiola is one of the finest managerial brains in the business. He won 14 trophies while in charge of Barcelona – including three La Liga titles and two Champions League crowns – with Luis Enrique, Ernesto Valverde, Ronald Koeman and Xavi among those to have succeeded him at Camp Nou.
