Coach Pep Guardiola recently participated in the program ‘Che Tempo Che Fa’ with former Italian football star Roberto Baggio. He revealed many future plans and affirmed his love for football star Messi.
“For me, Messi is the best player ever. Maybe I’m being disrespectful to Pele and Diego Maradona, but I can’t imagine anyone like Messi, with his consistency over the past 15-20 years. He’s the most unique player,” coach Pep Guardiola shared.
“To coach Messi, you have to know Messi well. Working with Messi, I can say, was very easy. He was the best player, and also because Barcelona had gathered the top stars at that time. It was a blessing to work with Messi. We won many titles together. Among them, there were 5 championship titles in 2011. That beauty was magnificent,” coach Pep Guardiola expressed.
Coach Pep Guardiola led Barcelona from 2008 to 2012, after being promoted from the B team. From a young, inexperienced coach, Coach Pep Guardiola helped Barcelona win the treble in his first season, including La Liga, King’s Cup and Champions League, becoming the youngest coach to win the tournament.
He was named FIFA World Coach of the Year in 2011 after leading Barcelona to a La Liga and Champions League double in the 2010-11 season. This was also the season Barcelona won the Spanish Super Cup, the European Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. Coach Pep Guardiola ended his four-year tenure at Barcelona in 2012 with a total of 14 championship titles, a club record.
Also because of his great love for Barcelona, coach Pep Guardiola admitted: “I hope I won’t have to face Barcelona in the Champions League. The love and affection I have for Barcelona will destroy me. I have been lucky and happy at Barcelona, it is the team in my heart.”
Regarding the future being mentioned to lead the England team once the contract with Man City ends, coach Pep Guardiola confirmed: “This is not true. I am the coach of Man City. I have not decided anything, everything can happen. So, I do not know”.
Man City FC has recently had a big change when Sports Director Txiki Begiristain, a close friend of coach Pep Guardiola, will retire after the 2024-2025 season ends. The Etihad Stadium team will appoint a new replacement, Hugo Viana from Sporting CP Club (Portugal). Meanwhile, coach Pep Guardiola’s contract with Man City only has the current season left (in June 2025).
“It’s true that my contract with Man City is about to expire. I still need to think and decide what I want to do. Let’s see what my future is,” coach Pep Guardiola emphasized.
According to the British press, Man City’s board of directors still hopes that coach Pep Guardiola will sign a contract extension for at least one more season, despite the retirement of his close friend Txiki Begiristain. Txiki Begiristain and coach Pep Guardiola also worked together at Barcelona. They are the ones who created the current outstanding success of Man City.
