The Manchester City coach, Pep Guardiola, assured this Monday that the door to returning to Barcelona “is closed” because “we are older now” and he admitted that the Barça bench is “one of the most complicated, without a doubt”, since “the scrutiny is instantaneous”.
“Everything is calmer there and here everything is more difficult,” he said, comparing his experience in Germany and England with his time at the Camp Nou.
Guardiola spoke to the media at Golf Empordà, home of the Legends Trophy: a charity tournament sponsored by himself that raises funds for the Fundació Guardiola Sala and which in this edition features former footballers such as Gabriel Batistuta, Txiki Begiristain, Ronald de Boer, Ruud Gullit, Michel Platini and Bernd Schuster among others.
He was also asked if comparisons between Xavi Hernandez and he himself could have harmed the Egarense coach and claimed that whatever may have happened is not his fault because he has been “outside” of the Barça orbit for more than ten years. He said he is not “suspected of anything in this regard.”
The City coach wished Xavi the best, who “will surely find his challenge”, as Hansi Flick“an extraordinary person” so they have agreed.
“What he did with Bayern was extraordinary, especially the year he won everything, and he has international experience with the German team,” Guardiola said.
“Whenever you go to a new club you need help. It doesn’t matter where and especially at Barça,” he said before asking for “total support” for the German coach.
He asked for patience and to be given time because “leagues are not won in September or October.”
Furthermore, he stressed that “Barça has a very good squad, with very talented footballers, very young, but also very experienced in certain positions.” About young people like Lamine Yamal or Pau Cubarsí“so young”, spoke of “a surprise” and “a demonstration again that the youth team never fails you” and above all argued that they have had “a very big impact.”
“Before, young people accompanied the most mature players and these do not accompany them. These are decisive and it is a great luck. You have to give them time and patience, surround them well and protect them. With the quality they have they will do the rest,” he assured.
In key market, Guardiola did not give any clue about the future of Joao Canceloon loan this season to Barça from Manchester, and on Bernard Silva He pointed out that “there has been a lot of talk for years, but no one has called City and it is a question for the Barça sports director. I hope he stays because he is a fundamental player, a gem of a player and as a person.”
He also emphasized that Madrid is “always” a “very strong” team, with or without Kylian Mbappéand “the rival to beat in the Champions League and the number one favorite before starting”, but admitted that with the signing of the French footballer he gains “a very talented player”.
