Man Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola rejects concept of Barcelona return

Manchester Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola has closed the door on a return to Barcelona at any time sooner or later.

Guardiola, whose contract with Metropolis expires in June 2025, hinted in Might that subsequent season may very well be his final on the Etihad.

When requested on Monday if a return to Barça may very well be on the playing cards, Guardiola, who guided the Catalan outfit to 14 honours throughout his 4 seasons in cost, stated: “It is a door that’s closed.”

The 53-year-old spoke throughout a information convention at his annual golf match, the Legends Trophy, that’s being performed in Girona, Spain.

“The Barça bench is without doubt one of the most intricate as a result of it’s important to handle many instances. In Manchester every part we do stays inside and at Barça, every part comes out,” he stated.

The previous Barça participant coached Metropolis to a report fourth-successive Premier League title one 12 months after main his crew to a historic treble.

Barça completed the 2023-24 marketing campaign trophy-less and appointed Hansi Flick as Xavi Hernández’s alternative in Might. Xavi was dismissed on the finish of the season with the membership on the lookout for a change in path.

Xavi took over the Spanish crew in November 2021 and was usually in comparison with Guardiola.

Guardiola stated of these comparisons: “What is for certain is that it is not my fault. That is for positive. I have been 11 or 12 years away from Barcelona. I am not a suspect in that sense. Ask that to people who have made the comparisons, I have never. I want Xavi one of the best find a brand new problem.”

As for Xavi’s successor, Guardiola stated he believes Barça are in good fingers. Flick, who had been out of labor since September 2023 when he was fired by the Germany nationwide crew, had beforehand overseen appreciable success at Bayern Munich.

The German supervisor received the Champions League as a part of a treble in 2020 earlier than he took on the Germany job in the summertime of 2021.

“I want him one of the best of luck on this planet,” Guardiola stated.

“Once you arrive at a brand new membership you all the time need assistance. You must attempt to get assist from inside and have whole help. You must go little by little. You’ll be able to’t be champion in September or October.

“Hansi is a unprecedented individual, who has a variety of need. So much. However he wants his time. What he did at Bayern was extraordinary, he received every part.”

Barça completed runners-up to Actual Madrid in LaLiga, with their rivals including France star Kylian Mbappé to their already sturdy roster.

“With or with out Mbappé, they’re all the time sturdy,” Guardiola stated.

“It is the rival to beat within the Champions [League], definitely. Everybody is aware of that. For all of us which are behind them, it is a motivation to attempt to beat them. Madrid has all the time been very sturdy and they’re including up entrance a participant that has a variety of energy.”