Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu says Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola could work for the club again.
Bartomeu spoke to the Telegraph about a potential future return for Guardiola. “You never know,” he said. “There are so many people who were at the club, went, came back again.
You never know but right now he is concentrating on City. “I think he has a three-year contract?”
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says he would not be a good fit as Real Madrid manager.
It has been claimed by Guardiola’s biographer, Marti Perarnau, that Madrid president Florentino Perez approached the Catalan to take over at the Santiago Bernabeu before sacking Rafa Benitez in January.
Perarnau insisted the idea was “out of the question” from the start and, on Friday, Guardiola made it clear that he would not be interested in moving to the rivals of his boyhood club Barcelona.
“I am a Barcelona fan, I don’t think Real Madrid needs a manager like me and I wouldn’t fit there either,” he said.
Guardiola is preparing his Manchester City side for their game at West Brom on Saturday as they look to end a winless streak that now spans six matches.
City face Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday but he rejected the suggestion that he would rest certain players at the Hawthorns.
“No, no, game by game, tomorrow we have to try again as soon as possible,” he added. “We have to turn as quickly as possible the situation.”
Guardiola was also unable to shed any light on the injury situations of Kevin De Bruyne, Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna.
“They are getting better, right now I cannot answer, sorry. I don’t know if they are able to play in tomorrow’s game against West Brom.”
Manchester City have confirmed the signing of centre-back John Stones from Everton on a six-year deal.
The England international has been on Pep Guardiola’s list of summer targets since his arrival at the club and the Catalan now has his man.
The Manchester United boss is looking forward to renewing acquaintances with the Spaniard, who he worked with during his time in charge of Barcelona
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has welcomed Manchester City’s appointment of Pep Guardiola.
Van Gaal was Guardiola’s manager during their time together at Barcelona and made the former midfielder his captain at Camp Nou.
The Spaniard has since followed his old boss into management and enjoyed great success during his time in charge of both Barca and Bayern Munich.
His next challenge will see him replace Manuel Pellegrini at the Etihad Stadium next summer, where he will immediately become a rival of Van Gaal, though the Dutchman says he will be happy to see him.
He said: “He is my former captain so I am very pleased to see him. And I can speak Spanish so it is very convenient for me!”
Van Gaal was talking after United’s 3-0 win over Stoke City on Tuesday night, which came courtesy of goals from Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney.
The 44-year-old insists he has not yet decided on his next destination but claims he needs a new challenge after Bayern Munich
Pep Guardiola admits that the reason why he has chosen not to extend his contract with Bayern Munich is because he wants to manage in the Premier League.
Goal understands Manchester City are confident that Guardiola will opt to join them next summer, with the Spaniard key to their transfer plans next summer.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have also been linked with a move for Guardiola, whose deal with Bayern expires at the end of the season, but the 44-year-old insists he has not decided his next move.
“The reason I have not extended my contract is simple. I want to manage in the Premier League,” said Guardiola.
“I haven’t decided on a new club yet.
“I’m very happy and grateful to Bayern for the trust they’ve shown in me but I need a new challenge.
“I have an opportunity to work in England. I think I’m at the right age and I feel it is the right move for me.”
Carlo Ancelotti has already been appointed as Guardiola’s successor and the Spaniard insists his side will remain a success under the Italian.
“Coaches come and go but I think Carlo Ancelotti is a perfect choice to take over and I wish him the very best,” said Guardiola.
“The squad won trophies under Heyckes and for me too. They’ll be successful with Ancelotti in charge as well.”
More to follow…
Source – goal.com
The Arsenal legend thinks the Catalan boss’ competitive streak and desire to win trophies will not allow him to stay away from English football for much longer
Thierry Henry expects Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola to manage a Premier League club in the near future.
Guardiola’s contract with Bayern expires in June, and the former Barcelona boss has indicated he is in no rush to sign an extension.
And Henry, who won two league titles and the Champions League under Guardiola during his time at Barca, believes the 44-year-old is well suited to Premier League football.
“I think eventually he will come,” Henry told Sky Sports News. “He’s a competitor, he will want to win a title in every league possible.
“It will suit him, being here in the Premier League. He’s a great guy, [and he has a] great view of the game. He’s one or two steps ahead, he’s in control of everything, the way he loves the game is second to none.
“He is one of the best managers I’ve ever had. One thing that strikes me with him that you don’t see, he’s one of those guys who’s very demanding and [the] discipline that he has is on point. You need that amount of discipline to perform on and off the field.”
Henry added: “He already speaks English, by the way… maybe that’s one thing that tells us he will come sooner rather than later.”
The 44-year-old, whose contract expires next summer, has been linked with the England job but is currently reviewing an offer to remain with the Bundesliga champions
Pep Guardiola walked out of his Bayern Munich press conference on Friday after a reporter asked whether he could become England’s next manager.
An article in The Sun has claimed that the Football Association are targeting the 44-year-old as a potential successor for Roy Hodgson, who could leave his role after Euro 2016 if England’s campaign is a failure.
Guardiola’s future at Bayern has also been the subject of constant speculation as his contract with the Bundesliga champions expires at the end of the season.
But when asked if he would consider the role with England, Guardiola replied before leaving the room: “Come on, next question. Next question, please. No. I am the coach at Bayern Munich. Thank you.”
Earlier this week, Bayern’s chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge claimed Guardiola is currently considering a “great offer” to stay with the club.
“I am optimistic about Pep’s renewal. We have a great offer on the table, which you cannot just shove aside,” Rummenigge told Bild.
“We have a first-class team, a fantastic club, a great stadium and a wonderful city to offer. We will have a serious conversation with Pep in the upcoming weeks and we will see what comes from that.
“I want to win the Champions League again – with Guardiola in charge.”
New Manchester United signing Bastian Schweinsteiger has not been fit for two years, according to Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola.
Schweinsteiger, 31, completed a summer move to Old Trafford for around £12 million having spent his whole career with Bayern, but has struggled with injury problems in recent seasons.
The Germany captain made just 15 Bundesliga starts for Bayern last term as Guardiola’s side collected their third consecutive league title, and the Spaniard says his fitness issues are a concern.
“When he does not have injury problems, I am completely convinced he will do very well at Manchester United,” Guardiola told reporters. “He is a top, top player.
“Unfortunately, he has had some problems with injuries in the past two years and he was not always 100 per cent fit. He is going to play really good [at United]. I really hope that is going to happen.”
Schweinsteiger’s move to the Premier League sees him reunite with Louis van Gaal, who coached him at Bayern between 2009 and 2011.
The 31-year-old midfielder led Germany to success in the 2014 World Cup, but struggled for fitness before and after the tournament.
Upon returning from Brazil, Schweinsteiger managed just 20 league appearances in Bayern’s title-winning campaign and missed six of 12 Champions League ties.
Lionel Messi‘s class was the difference between Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the German champions’ 3-0 defeat on Wednesday, according to Pep Guardiola.
The Argentine – who shot to worldwide prominence while Guardiola was in charge of Barcelona – put the Bavarians to the sword with a late double which turned the well-balanced Champions League semi-final tie on its head at Camp Nou.
Neymar added insult to injury with a stoppage-time strike, avenging the three-goal triumph secured by Bayern on their last trip to Catalunya in 2013 and leaving the German champions with an almost impossible task in the second leg.
“Bayern did well for a long time,” Guardiola, whose side restricted Barca to their lowest possession in a Champions League game since 2006, told reporters. “But then Messi showed his class. Barca aren’t just him, though – they’re a strong team, with other top individuals like Luis Suarez and Neymar.
“Barca are so good that they find spaces wherever they want to. It’s the talent of their team that left us on the losing end, playing at Camp Nou is so hard.
“However, I think we actually controlled the game until the first Barca goal. We lost our grip after that, though, but I won’t blame any of my players. The team have gone through a lot of difficult situations this season.”
Guardiola was unremittingly bleak when assessing the Bundesliga champions’ chances of reaching the final in Berlin on June 6, adding: “You can turn around a one or two-goal deficit, but three goals is tough.”
Bayern now host Augsburg on Saturday – when they are almost certain to field a second-string side, having already wrapped up the league title last month – before playing host to the Catalans next Tuesday.
The winner of this semi-final will face either Real Madrid or Juventus, with the Italians holding a 2-1 advantage after the first leg on Tuesday in Turin.
