Pep Guardiola rules out Barcelona return definitively, opines on Xavi Hernandez exit and Hansi Flick arrival
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has ruled out returning to his beloved Barcelona once again, saying that the ‘door is closed’ on any possibility of it. Speaking at the Legend Trophy golf tournament in Alt Emporda, Catalonia, he also said he was blameless for Xavi’s exit. Guardiola in the past has ruled out managing the […] The post Pep Guardiola rules out Barcelona return definitively, opines on Xavi Hernandez exit and Hansi Flick arrival appeared first on Football España.
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has ruled out returning to his beloved Barcelona once again, saying that the ‘door is closed’ on any possibility of it. Speaking at the Legend Trophy golf tournament in Alt Emporda, Catalonia, he also said he was blameless for Xavi’s exit.
Guardiola in the past has ruled out managing the Blaugrana again, but within the last year has said that ‘if Barcelona call, I will go’. Asked about it again, he was very clear saying, “Yes, the door is closed. We’re getting old now.”
"Yes, the door is closed."
Pep Guardiola rules out returning to #FCBarcelona in the future. #ManCity pic.twitter.com/qlAYA8zSqE
— Football España (@footballespana_) June 10, 2024
He was also asked if departed Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez suffered from comparisons with him, due to the style of play he was able to implement while he was there.
“I assure you that it is not my fault. Whatever may have happened is not my fault, I have been away from Barcelona for 14, 15 years, or I don’t know, 10, 11 years, and I am not suspected of anything in this regard,” he told Marca.
Barcelona count on Koundé for next season. Flick sees him for both the centre-back and the right-back position. Koundé is fine with either now, because he has adapted to playing as a full-back. @sergidejuan9
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) June 10, 2024
It has not been lost on anyone that Xavi felt frustrated by some of the criticism from journalists that he considered, rightly or wrongly, to be loyal to Guardiola, even citing Ramon Besa at one point for an article he wrote months before. Guardiola also wished his replacement Hansi Flick well in his new role.
Pep Guardiola sobre si a Xavi Hernández le perjudicaron las comparaciones con él:
“Lo que haya podido pasar no es mi culpa”
“Llevo 14 años fuera de Barcelona, o 15, no sé cuántos, 10-11”
“No soy sospechoso de nada en este sentido” pic.twitter.com/zGA4bIqs7E
— Víctor Navarro (@victor_nahe) June 10, 2024
“I wish him the best. May they help him and give him time. He will have to adapt to the style of the players he has.”
Guardiola’s current Manchester City deal is up in 2025, and there have been rumours that he could call it a day in the Premier League at that point. Various national teams, such as Brazil, England and the USA have been mentioned as potential destinations for him, but regardless, it won’t be Barcelona by the looks of things, whatever he chooses.
The post Pep Guardiola rules out Barcelona return definitively, opines on Xavi Hernandez exit and Hansi Flick arrival appeared first on Football España.
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