Pep Guardiola block Manchester City contract renewal as Barcelona intensify his return 

Pep Guardiola block Manchester City contract renewal as Barcelona intensify his return 

According to reports, FC Barcelona want Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola to return to the club for a second spell as manager.

 

 

Guardiola emerged as one of the best managers in the world during his first stint in charge of Barcelona. Between 2008 and 2012, he helped them win the Champions League twice and La Liga three times as he built an all-time great team.

 

The Spaniard has further enhanced his reputation during his time at Bayern Munich and Man City.

 

Now regarded as one of the greatest managers in Premier League history, Guardiola has lifted the league title on five occasions and they won their first Champions League at the end of last season.

 

 

After Jurgen Klopp announced that he would be leaving Liverpool in the summer, some City supporters would have feared that Guardiola would soon join the respected German in departing the Premier League.

 

Under contract until 2025, Guardiola recently confirmed that he will at least see out his current contract at the Etihad. He told reporters: “I’m fine. I want to do it still for one more year, and maybe extend. I’m fine. I still try to manage. We can’t do more than last season but what is important is one step at a time.”

 

It has also been suggested that Guardiola could be lined up by Barcelona to replace club legend Xavi, who has already confirmed his summer departure amid his side’s decline this season.

 

Spanish outlet Nacional claim Guardiola has ‘blocked’ Man City from ‘renewing’ his contract and Barcelona are ‘dreaming’ of his return.

 

 

It is claimed that Guardiola has ‘no plans to renew’ his City contract and ‘will leave’ in 2025 with his time at the club ‘coming to an end’.

 

Barcelona chief Joan Laporta is said to be planning to ‘do everything possible’ to tempt Guardiola into leaving Man City a year early but this ‘seems unlikely’ at this stage.

 

But Laporta ‘will try’ as it is believed that the ‘prize is too great not to try everything’ to make it happen.

 

 

Departing Liverpool manager Klopp has also been linked with Barcelona but Jamie Carragher cannot see him joining them or Real Madrid.

 

“[There’s] almost this feeling [in Germany] that he’ll end up being the German manager. [Julian] Naglesmann is the manager until the tournament, it’s an interim thing. Whether that will be enough for him or whether he’d want to do that straight away [who knows],” Carragher told Sky Sport.

 

“Once he’s had a break, I think he will want to get back into something.

 

“He said he wanted a year out after Dortmund but three months later he was managing Liverpool, so in his head I don’t think he has anything lined up but if something comes up that you can’t say no to [who knows].

 

“He will have options, but I couldn’t imagine Jurgen Klopp managing Real Madrid or Barcelona, for him it’s about the emotion and the crowd – Dortmund against Munich, Liverpool against the world.

 

“The clubs that he’s been at, it’s been built on emotion, Dortmund with that big stand, Anfield – I can’t see him sitting there, watching Barcelona playing tiki-tacky football.

 

“I look at some clubs and think where does he go? Liverpool suits him more than everyone.”