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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has named Barcelona as the team he wants to avoid facing in the Champions League. His emotional association with the Catalan giants leaves him with mixed emotions when facing them.
On Italian chat show, Che Tempo Che Fa, Guardiola was asked about the club he wanted to avoid in the continental competition. He quickly named Barcelona, saying (via Football365):
"Good question. Barcelona maybe. The affection I have for them destroys me. I was born in a small town nearby, it's never easy to play against them."
When asked about the new Champions League format, Guardiola claimed he did not understand it completely yet, adding:
"I don't understand, I just coach. I think we'll be able to answer this question only at the end of the season."
Pep Guardiola played 382 matches for Barcelona before being appointed as their manager in 2008. He won the league title thrice and the Champions League twice with them before leaving in 2012.
Pep Guardiola names Barcelona legend as the Greatest Of All Time
Pep Guardiola believes Lionel Messi is the best player in the history of football. He admitted that Pele and Diego Maradona were also in the running to be labeled as the GOATs but believes that the Messi's longevity takes him above the duo.
He said:
"You have to know him. For me it's easy to say that he is the best player of all time, but the stars came together at that moment. Maybe it's a lack of respect for Pele and Maradona, but for me he is [the best of all time]. I've never seen someone like him in training, you couldn't imagine that he could maintain this continuity for 15-20 years."
"When you see him up close, you think of Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan – we were lucky to be contemporaries of these characters. I think of Sorrentino's 'The Great Beauty'… it's a great title for that team," he added.
Lionel Messi played 219 matches under Pep Guardiola during their time together at FC Barcelona. The Argentine scored 211 goals in those matches while also assisting 94 times.
