Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich: Takeaways from Pep Guardiola's Press Conference

A determined Pep Guardiola has addressed the media ahead of his return to Barcelona for the Champions League semi-final first leg, with the Bayern Munich boss insisting he is very much focused on the job at hand.

Following a glittering playing career with the Catalonians, the Blaugrana icon enjoyed four magnificent years as manager at the Camp Nou before leaving in 2012. Naturally, as we can see here courtesy of the Bayern Twitter feed, he admitted it’s very special to be back at the club:

That in itself goes unsaid. After all, as a player and manager with the club, Guardiola sampled a total of three Champions League wins and nine La Liga titles.

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But as noted here by Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC, Guardiola has admitted his preparations have been unwavering despite the poignant links between himself and Barca:

He has enriched his managerial reputation with the German giants, lifting two Bundesliga crowns in his two seasons with the club so far. But after making it to the semi-final of this tournament last season only to be humbled 5-0 by Real Madrid on aggregate, it’s abundantly clear that Guardiola is desperate to get to another final.

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And just in case there were any lingering doubts about where his allegiances lie, the fiercely competitive manager made things abundantly clear, per Barcelona's Twitter feed:

Guardiola had plenty of kind words for his former employers though, especially Lionel Messi. The Argentina star’s progression from capricious young forward to the world’s best player was expedited by the astute tactical acumen of the former Barcelona manager and from a tactical perspective, much has been made of how Pep will attempt to nullify his effect on the game.

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But speaking ahead of the match, the Bayern boss insisted that if Messi is in the mood, there’s little that can be done:

He did offer a slight glimpse into how he may go about limiting his former player’s influence, though:

Given Guardiola’s own set of bespoke beliefs, don’t expect Bayern to roll over for the Blaugrana. The Germans will be cautious in their endeavours and will surely pay the appropriate amount of respect to the attacking talents of the Catalonian club, but the Bundelsliga side will go to the Nou Camp and look to impose themselves on the game.

Indeed, the former midfielder was unashamed in admitting it is absolutely imperative his team scores an away goal in this tie:

However, the manager did note that with so many players out injured, they will face a difficult challenge:

Without both Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery in situ, it’s a gargantuan challenge for the Bavarians. But Guardiola did provide some positive news regarding Robert Lewandowski’s condition, insisting the Polish forward has a chance of being involved in the match:

Talk quickly turned back to Pep’s synonymity with the La Liga giants and he was asked whether he would celebrate a goal should his team find the back of the net on the night:

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For all the hype surrounding Guardiola’s homecoming, this press conference made it abundantly clear that he is unrelenting in his desire for Bayern to progress. Barcelona supporters probably wouldn’t have expected any different, as Pep’s steely focus and infectious determination was a hallmark of their wide-ranging dominance under his watch.

Looking at the scintillating form of the Blaugrana’s much-revered attacking triumvirate, the challenges Guardiola’s side will face on the pitch will far exceed the emotional obstacles he will have to overcome in this match. For all the pre-match hype, how Bayern handle their threat will ultimately determine who progresses to the Berlin final.

But the added dynamic of Pep’s homecoming gives this tie an edge and has made it one of the most highly anticipated Champions League showdowns in years.