Pep Guardiola has poured cold water over rumours linking him with a return to Barcelona, describing his connection to the club as a thing of the past.
Barcelona presidential favourite Victor Font – who aspires to replace Josep Maria Bartomeu following the latter’s resignation – wants to bring the Manchester City manager back to the Nou Camp.
Pep Guardiola Does Not Want Barcelona Return
Font Says Barça ‘Need’ Guardiola Back
Victor Font is the leading candidate to replace Bartomeu as Barcelona president in March; he has spoken of his desire to bring Guardiola back to the club.
“It is our intention to build a very strong and competitive project and we are very lucky at Barça that we inherited a style of play that Johan Cruff instilled throughout the organisation,” Font said, as per Sky Sports News.
“And most of the best professionals who know about this style are also fans who love the club – like Pep Guardiola, Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta, [Carles] Puyol. They are all legends that love Barcelona but do not work for Barça today – we need to bring them back to ensure we will have a very competitive project.”
Guardiola, who left Barcelona in 2012, won 14 major trophies over a hugely successful spell at the Catalan club.
Manchester City Manager Guardiola Supports Barça Boss Ronald Koeman
Following his side’s win over Sheffield United in the Premier League, Guardiola put paid to Font’s latest comments and detailed his support for the current Barcelona manager, former Southampton and Everton boss Koeman.
“As manager of Barcelona my time is over,” said Guardiola in quotes carried by BBC Sport.
“I lived my period there. Ronald Koeman is there [now]. I respect him; he is an incredible friend of mine. It belongs to other people.”
Despite receiving Guardiola’s apparent backing, Koeman is already under pressure in his new role. Having lost last Saturday’s Clasico to Real Madrid, Barcelona found themselves in the bottom half of the La Liga table. Koeman’s side bounced back with a win against Juventus in the Champions League in their last match.
Main Photo
