Pep Guardiola Barcelona Return Doubted by Father Ahead of Manchester City Match

The father of Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola doesn’t expect the iconic manager to ever return to Barcelona in the future.

Guardiola enjoyed 11 years as a player at the Camp Nou before taking over as boss in 2008 for four years. In total, he won nine league titles and the UEFA Champions League three times while associated with the Catalan club.

However, his father Valenti doesn’t feel as though he’ll be adding to that haul in the future, per Cadena Ser (h/t Adriana Garcia of ESPN FC):

"

Return to Barcelona? To do what, work as a ball boy? 

I really don't see him there either as president or on the bench. His time with Barca has come and gone. I don't think he would do well in going back.

At the very least, I think we can rule him out coming back as coach.

"

GLYN KIRK/Getty Images

As a player, Guardiola was the midfield metronome in Johan Cruyff’s “Dream Team,” helping the club win their first-ever European Cup in 1992. His spell as manager is etched a lot more clearly into the minds of the current generation, though.

Indeed, the sides Guardiola assembled at Barcelona are considered by many to be the greatest in the history of club football, as they romped to two Champions League titles in 2009 and 2011. With Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta as the fulcrums of the team, the Blaugrana played some mesmerising stuff.

Guardiola went on to manage Bayern Munich, winning three titles in three years, and is now in his first season in charge of City.

According to Everton boss Ronald Koeman, who scored the winning goal for Barca in the 1992 European Cup Final, he’s doing a pretty good job:

The 45-year-old will pit his new side against his old one on Wednesday at the Camp Nou, as he goes head-to-head with Luis Enrique’s own version of Barcelona. Many of the principles preached by Guardiola remain intact, although with Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez in attack, the current side is arguably more dangerous in the final third.

It’ll be a fascinating tactical battle and all eyes will be on how Guardiola sets his team up for this massive challenge. He’ll likely receive a wonderful reception from the home crowd, too.

There’s no doubt that a figure so steeped in the history of the club would be welcomed back with open arms should their paths cross in the future. Spanish football journalist Sergi Dominguez feels as though a reunion will take place at some point:

Guardiola isn’t likely to remain at City for the very long term. He signed a three-year contract with the club in the summer, as he did at Bayern, and comes across as the kind of character who needs to be stimulated in his work. So it’d be no major surprise if he was to be available for appointment again in the future.

Valenti offered his own suggestion on a future possible role for his son, via Cadena Ser (h/t Garcia): “I say he could take the Catalan national team, but I don't see him coaching Spain.”

If a return to Barcelona was to happen, there’d be some concerns—particularly whether or not Guardiola could ever possibly live up to the remarkable standards he set during his first spell in charge. However, for a man who’s got the Catalan club in his blood, it’d surely be difficult to say no if the offer came one day.