Barcelona could move for Pep Guardiola should Manchester City face sanctions following the charges by the Premier League.
According to Fichajes, La Liga giants Barcelona could make a move for former boss Pep Guardiola should Premier League champions Manchester City be sanctioned for wrongful financial breaches between 2009 and 2018.
Guardiola is a legend at Camp Nou, both as a player and as a manager. He led the tiki-taka revolution at the Catalan club, leading them to three La Liga titles, two UEFA Champions Leagues, two FIFA Club World Cups and two Copa del Reys among others in a four-year spell from 2008-2012.
He arrived at the Etihad in 2016 following another trophy-laden spell, this time at Bayern Munich. Since then, Manchester City have established themselves as the pre-eminent force in English football. Despite being pushed to the brink by Liverpool on numerous occasions, Guardiola has ensured that his side more often than not holds the upper hand.
While he controls what happens on the field, the 52-year-old cannot fight off the allegations thrown at the club off the field. Manchester City’s financial transgressions cover a nine-year period, during which they won three league titles and numerous other trophies.
Guardiola has in the past promised to walk should the club be found guilty of any wrongdoing. He appeared to backtrack slightly recently when asked about the latest allegations put forward by the Premier League. Should he decide to call it quits, Barcelona appear only too happy to re-sign him.
Guardiola, for his part, is open to taking over the reins at Camp Nou. While Xavi Hernandez has done well in the Barcelona hotseat, he is still the apprentice and has failed to match the club’s ambitions in Europe. They need a long-term vision that is similar to the one that was sought from Guardiola when he took over in 2008. It remains to be seen if lightning strikes twice.
The Blaugrana, for now, appear miles away from challenging for the UEFA Champions League and could do with a fresh direction to match the required quality. Guardiola is one of the finest managers in the sport’s history but has failed to win a European crown since leaving Barcelona in 2012.
A return to the club where he learnt the trade could certainly bring the career full circle. Unlike at Manchester City, Guardiola has an emotional attachment with the Camp Nou faithful, something that appears to be more organic than the one he showcases at the Etihad.
Barcelona are also eyeing two Manchester City players should the club be hit by sanctions. Rodri and Julian Alvarez could also follow Guardiola to Camp NOu. A lot will, however, depend on how the accusations pan out in the coming months.
