Guardiola: I'm a Big Fan of Flick's Barça, Champions League Derails Projects, League Titles are the Foundation of a Season

Former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola inaugurated the 'Cruyff Court' pitch in Manresa, Catalonia, during an event for the foundation of the legendary Dutch footballer and coach, of which he is a patron.

Following the ceremony, Guardiola addressed current topics surrounding Barcelona, praised Julián Álvarez, and lauded Barcelona's coach Hansi Flick for his “two exceptional years,” among other interesting remarks. The former manager spoke to the media after meeting with children from the school in Manresa where he studied as a child, even playing a short match with them. After the event, he offered his perspective on Barcelona's current situation.

When asked about Bernardo Silva, with whom he worked for nine years at the Etihad, and his potential move to Barça next season, Pep was full of praise for the 31-year-old Portuguese midfielder: “Bernardo would adapt to any team. He is too good.” When Julián Álvarez, with whom he became a European champion with Manchester City in 2023, was mentioned, he insisted: “He is also very good. Everyone at City is very good.”

Regarding Barça and their two consecutive La Liga titles under Hansi Flick, Pep Guardiola stated: “They are Barça players, whether they come from La Masia or elsewhere, whether they were born here or not. Ultimately, they are part of Barça and are doing very well. They've had two exceptional years, not just because of the results, but also because of their playing style and how attractive they are to watch. I am a big fan of Hansi (Flick), of what they are doing, and I wish them many more years of success.”

In this vein, he emphasized the importance of the league title compared to the European Cup, reiterating a message he often conveyed during his tenure at Manchester City, where he won the Premier League six times but lifted the most prestigious continental trophy only once: “The Champions League can derail projects. I hope this doesn't happen here, and that just because they haven't won it, it isn't seen as everything being wrong. La Liga is what gives you consistency. In the Champions League, you need to be in good form at the end, without injuries. The influence of referees in that tournament is huge.

What's important is that the daily work is good, that the team continues to grow, and that they don't think the season is bad just because they didn't reach or win the Champions League final. The foundation of a season is defined by the league titles,” concluded Pep, who has been linked with the Italian national team after they failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time.

Regarding his own future, he joked, “I'll go back to study at 'La Salle,' where I went as a child, and become a teacher.” Guardiola began playfully, nodding affirmatively when asked if he would take a break for now. “National team coach? For now, I want to settle here for a while and see what I'll do. Even I don't know,” he added.