Former captain and coach of the Catalan giants won’t be coming back to Barcelona, insists Pep Guardiola’s father
Pep Guardiola is preparing for an emotional return to Camp Nou as Manchester City’s manager on Wednesday night’s Champions League group-stage fixture; a stadium where he has spent much part of his hugely successful career either as a player, captain or a manager.
But according to Pep’s father, Valenti Guardiola, there’s no chance his son Pep will be returning to Barcelona in any capacity, whether as coach or for a role behind the scenes insisting his time with the club has reached an end and sarcastically stating he might probably return as ball-boy.
In an interview with Cadena Ser, Valenti Guardiola said, “Return to Barcelona? To do what, work as a ball boy? I really don’t see him there either as president or on the bench. His time with Barca has come and gone. At the very least, I think we can rule out him coming back as coach.”
Valenti Guardiola also added that Pep’s association with the Catalans could mean he might reject any offers to coach Spain’s National team in the future, preferring to manage the Catalans’ national team, who are not officially recognized by either UEFA or FIFA.
It’s no secret that Barcelona will always remains a club that’s very close to his heart, having spent almost 22 years at of his glittering career at the club as a youth player, first team player, captain and then as the head coach of Barcelona B and Barcelona first team, winning numerous trophies and being responsible for creating of one the greatest ever sides witnessed in world football.
And that’s what makes the comments by Guardiola’s father a surprise, considering Pep, at the age 45, still has a long a way to go in his managerial career and a return to the Spanish giants can’t really be ruled out in the future. No one knows what the future might hold, but for now, Pep Guardiola’s complete attention lies with Manchester City.
