Pep Guardiola: Why He Should Move on from Barcelona

Pep Guardiola's time at the Nou Camp has come to an end and we should see him moving on shortly.

Having accomplished so much, and with so much left to do elsewhere, this should really come as no surprise.

Each year, Guardiola renews his contract with Barcelona for one season. He says this keeps him alert and focused, as his contracts aren't guaranteed long-term. He doesn't want to become complacent, he says.

And while that is probably true, there's another reason, too.

It's an escape clause.

As the manager of one of the most successful teams in footballing history, Pep had to know it was all going to end sometime. He is an intelligent man who realizes that his team will inevitably get worse while other teams get better. That is the natural balance of things.

And that balance has taken place.

Due partially to injuries, and partially to poor form, Barça find themselves trailing Real Madrid in the table. This is something Barça and their supporters have not been accustomed to during Guardiola's time with the Blaugrana.

And yet, it was always coming.

Pep took over Barcelona right before, or perhaps during, the emergence of one of the greatest players to ever play the beautiful game.

Lionel Messi was a gift to Pep that nobody could have foreseen, and has made the manager's life at Barcelona one of considerable success. If anybody has been a greater part of Barça's success than Guardiola, it has been Lionel Messi.

Real Madrid were weak when Guardiola took over. Not a terrible team as they had just won La Liga the previous year, but not as strong as Madrid is accustomed to being.

This is evidenced perhaps most strongly by their inability to win trophies since the arrival of Pep Guardiola at Barcelona.

Since he took over as manager, Guardiola's side have seen 13 trophies, both foreign and domestic. They have won the league title every season. They have won two Champions League finals. Their success can hardly be measured against any other club in history.

Real Madrid have won a single trophy— the 2011 Copa del Rey.

But Madrid could not suffer the agony of standing in Barça's shadow.

They bought Kaka. They bought Ronaldo. They brought in "The Special One" Jose Mourinho.

They still could not defeat the best club in the world.

They bought Angel di Maria and Mesut Ozil.

Still nothing.

It has taken the demise of the club itself to elevate Madrid above Barcelona. For though they sit above Barcelona in points, Madrid have not defeated Barça in a league match since Guardiola's debut.

But alas, the dominance that has been Barcelona under Guardiola appears to have reached a plateau.

And thus, he will move on.

He won't want to tarnish his legacy by sticking around through the power struggle with Madrid, since history currently sees him as completely dominant over them.

He won't want to suffer numerous exits of the Champions League, since history currently says that he's won two out of three. He could make it three out of four if Barça win it this season.

But with so little to gain by staying, why risk it?

There's also a great amount to be gained by leaving.

Chelsea boss Roman Abramovich plans to make Guardiola the richest manager in history, according to ESPN.

While Chelsea, too, sit in murky water, Guardiola could relish the chance to revive them to the top of the table. He could value the opportunity to coach in the English Premier League. He could increase his stature and legacy considerably by winning another major league, especially the EPL.

And there's the money, too.

As good as his run at Barcelona has been, it just might be time to call it quits.

While the fans and players will surely want him to stay, he has business elsewhere.