Pep Guardiola has ruled out ever returning to Barcelona as a Coach but claims his former club and not Manchester City were ‘the best last season’.
Guardiola won 14 trophies in his four-year spell as Barca boss between 2008 and 2012, but the Catalan confessed his time at Camp Nou was ‘finished’, citing an ‘urge’ to test himself abroad, while branding Yaya Youre a ‘liar’ for suggesting he was a racist.
“My time there as a Coach is finished because I’m not the same Coach as I was then, nor is the way they see me the same,” he told TV3.
“I had a time of my life there, when the world was our oyster, with some incredible players, a young and uncomplicated President, Txiki [Begiristain] and the best player in the world [Messi]. The stars aligned.
“President? No, I’m a Coach and I’m good at what I do. You can’t be everything. When it’s over, you’ll find me playing golf.
“We followed the legacy that Johan [Cruyff] had left us. He, along with Charly [Rexach], conveyed a few [of those football values] to us, and [Barca] should keep following them.
“Why I left Barca? I had nothing left. I had this feeling after four years of doing so well. I had this urge to go elsewhere, and I’ve done very well.
“Barca have also done well because they’ve won seven of the last 10 Leagues, and they were the best club last season, even if they didn’t win the Champions League.
“I’m not too intoxicated by what happens here, but Valverde’s Barca have played very well. Messi? He’s unique.
“He won’t complain off the field, but when he doesn’t like something, he’ll say it on the field. He’s quiet away from football.
“Toure said I was racist? It’s a lie and he knows it. We were together for two years and only now is he saying it. He never said it to my face.”
