'I'm a big fan of Hansi Flick!' - Pep Guardiola praises 'attractive' Barcelona under German coach but ex-Man City boss issues Champions League warning to former club

Since his arrival at the Catalan club, Flick has guided Barca to two straight La Liga titles, being crowned the division's best coach in each campaign. Despite their domestic success, though, they have been unable to find the necessary breakthrough in the Champions League, having last won the European competition in 2015.

Speaking at the inauguration of a new Cruyff Court at his former school, La Salle Manresa, Guardiola didn't hide his admiration for the direction the Catalan giants are taking under their German head coach. Despite the pressure that always follows the hot seat at Camp Nou, the legendary tactician believes the foundation is strong.

"I'm a big fan of Hansi, of how they do it and for many years," Guardiola told reporters. "They are Barca players, whether they are from La Masia or from outside, they do it very well. They have had two extraordinary years, beyond the results, how well they have done and how attractive it is to see them play."

While the style of play has won Guardiola over, he was quick to point out the volatility of knockout football. Barcelona’s decade-long drought in the Champions League remains a point of contention, but the man who won two European titles with the Blaugrana warned that continental success should not be the only metric for a project's health.

"The Champions League destroys projects, I hope that is not the case and that the fact of not winning it does not condition everything else," he warned. "La Liga is the one that gives you consistency. In the Champions League you have to arrive well at the end, without injuries, the influence of the referees is great in this competition."

For Guardiola, the daily work and the domestic league titles are what truly define a team's legacy. He urged the Barcelona hierarchy and fans not to lose sight of the bigger picture if they fall short in Europe, as they did last season against Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals.

"The important thing is that the day-to-day is good, that the team continues to grow and that they do not think that by not reaching the Champions League final or not winning it, the season is bad," Guardiola explained. "What marks the base of a season are the league titles."

Having recently ended his trophy-laden decade-long tenure at City, Guardiola also touched upon his own future and the quality of stars like Bernardo Silva. While he joked about becoming a teacher at his old school, his professional future remains a mystery even to him.

"Now I want to settle here for a while and I'll see what I do. I don't even know myself," he admitted. When asked about Bernardo Silva’s fit at Barca, he was definitive: "Bernardo would adapt to any team. He is too good." He similarly praised Julian Alvarez, noting that "City has them all very good."