Pep Guardiola has made the clearest statement yet that he will not be leaving Manchester City to re-join Barcelona and has no desire to ever return to the Camp Nou dugout.
The Spaniard is in the final year of his contract at the Etihad and is Barca presidential candidate Victor Font’s top target to take over as manager should he win the upcoming election.
Guardiola has previously been coy on his long-term future, but has now completely ruled out the prospect of returning to Barcelona and believes that chapter of his life is over.
‘I’ve said many times, my period as a manager in Barcelona is over,’ the City boss told BT Sport after his side’s 1-0 victory over Sheffield United in the Premier League on Saturday.
‘I think in the life there is once in a lifetime you have to do the things and there are incredible people who can be in charge now, for example Ronald Koeman is an excellent manager.
‘So it’s over. I will come back to my seeds to see my club to watch the game.
‘I still have a desire to do well and this is the most important thing.
‘Now there will be elections in Barcelona, hopefully they can choose the right persons, the right board, to maintain this incredible club that Barcelona is at the highest level.’
Manchester City won in Sheffield on Saturday thanks to a solitary goal from local boy Kyle Walker, moving up to seventh place in the Premier League table and are now just two points off top spot.
