MESSI & GUARDIOLA: AN UNEASY AFFAIR

The Barcelona icons could be reunited at Manchester City, but it’s not always been plain sailing between the pair...

2008

Barcelona didn’t want Messi playing for Argentina at the 2008 Olympics in China, but Pep – who’d won gold with Spain in 1992 – secured himself early brownie points. “Pep was phenomenal with me,” recalled Messi. “After a game he grabbed me and said, ‘ You want to go, don’t you?’ I said, ‘ Yes’. When I’m frustrated, I can’t hide it.”

2009

A glorious Treble in Pep’s first season featured a Leo goal in a Champions League final – one he’d later tell FFT was his all- time favourite. Weeks earlier, Pep had watched the 21- year- old devastate Real Madrid in a 6- 2 thrashing, having told Messi about his famous ‘ false nine’ role the previous night. “I’d never been a centre- forward, but I knew the position,” shrugged Messi.

2010

Zlatan Ibrahimovic once claimed that, “Messi wanted to play centre- forward and got his way.” But according to journalists Alex Juillard and Sebastian Fest in their book The Messi Mystery, the Argentine felt threatened. He is said to have texted a baffled Guardiola with concern about his importance, amid the striking power struggle. Ibra lasted just one campaign.

2012

Four years, three La Liga titles and two European triumphs later, a frazzled Guardiola quit Barcelona – but Messi was the only senior no- show at his farewell press conference. Explaining the absence on Facebook, the frontman said, “Because of the emotions, I preferred not to be present and to stay away from the media, as I know they look for the pain on the players’ faces.” Hmm.

2020

Messi claimed in 2015 that, “I haven’t had a relationship with Pep since he left” – but their mutual respect remains. Pre- transfer request, Guardiola insisted, “The best is Messi,” when asked if Sergio Aguero was his finest striker. “Messi is [ the best] No. 9, No. 10, No. 11, No. 7, No. 6, No. 5, No. 4...” – only Ederson can probably breathe easy.