Pep Guardiola rules out coaching Barcelona again

Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola has stated that he will return to Barcelona as a citizen but not as a manager of FC Barcelona.

The 43-year-old has stressed that his cycle at the club is certainly over but admitted that he would return one day to the city and live there since his wife’s job is in Catalonia. Guardiola took charge of the managerial seat at the Camp Nou in 2008 and left in the 2012 season after a four-year tenure.

During his time, he fielded one of the iconic teams in the history of club football, winning a total of 14 trophies including two Champions League and three La Liga titles.

After his departure, he went on a hiatus for a year and then returned to coaching in 2013 with Bayern Munich. Many have been hopeful of him returning to manage the side that enjoyed so much success under him but Guardiola has ruled out any possibility of that happening anytime sooner.

"In principle I won't coach Barca again. I think that there are cycles in life and that mine [at Barca] finished," the former Spanish international told Mundo Deportivo.

"My wife has her work here [in Barcelona] and the idea is to come back and live here. But I don't know when that will be."

Guardiola was succeeded by the late Tito Vilanova who managed to keep the momentum domestically as Barcelona won their last league title under him. He was replaced by Tata Martino due to his illness and Barca experienced a rare trophyless campaign under the Argentine.

After Martino’s departure, former player and Guardiola’s team-mate Luis Enrique has been appointed as the new manager this season.