Bayern Munich vs. Barcelona: Pep Guardiola Talks Manchester City Job in Presser
Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola has denied reports suggesting he will join Manchester City next season.
The Spaniard was speaking ahead of Bayern's seemingly impossible task of overturning a 3-0 defeat against Barcelona in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg. He denied reports of potentially taking over at the Etihad Stadium, per football writer Raphael Honigstein:
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Talk ahead of the match has focused on a tweet from beIN Sports' Arabic account, which read: "Urgent—sources beIN SPORTS: Manchester City reached a tentative agreement with Bayern Munich coach Guardiola to train the team for next season," relayed by Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News.
Sky Sports Spanish football expert Guillem Balague originally denied this report, while former Sky Sports presenter and current beIN Sports anchorman Richard Keys indicated he has different knowledge:
However, Guardiola was keen to focus on Barcelona in his pre-match press conference. He refused to accept aggregate defeat, reported by Bayern's official account:
The former Blaugrana manager started with an ambitious back three during the first-leg Camp Nou tie, a formation he quickly switched.
He continued to push players forward after Lionel Messi's opening goal, a tactic that led to Bayern conceding two more. Guardiola suggests caution is needed if the Allianz Arena crowd are going to have anything to cheer about, per the Champions League's official feed:
City boss Manuel Pellegrini knows what it's like to succumb to Barca's quality, having been knocked out of the Champions League by the Catalan club two years in a row. His inability to retain the Premier League title has ensured many expect him to leave this summer, reported by Sky Sports.
Guardiola is reported to have previously admitted he wants to manage City's local rivals, Manchester United, before he retires.
In Marti Perarnau's book Pep Confidential: The Inside Story of Pep Guardiola’s First Season at Bayern Munich, it is suggested the Spaniard said: "I like this atmosphere [of Old Trafford]. I could see myself coaching here one day," reported by Gerard Meagher of the Guardian. Joining City would most likely end the possibility of this happening.
Plenty of negative headlines will follow Guardiola's reign if Bayern fail to produce a stunning comeback against Barca. An early goal either way would likely be vital to the tie. If the home side gets it, it could produce a seed of doubt in the visitors' mind. If Barca score it, however, Bayern would need to score five without conceding again. In other words, it would be goodbye to this year's European adventure.
City are approaching a time of transition, so they will continue to be linked with the world's best managers. Departing Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp has also been touted for a move to Eastlands, though Richard Jolly of ESPN FC's suggests that isn't going to happen.
This is the nature of football. Guardiola remains focused on the momentous task ahead and not reports that suggest he will soon be moving on. If Bayern somehow secure passage to the Berlin final, the seemingly opportunistic story regarding his leaving the club would quickly subside.
