Lionel Messi-Pep Guardiola ‘camaraderie’: New Book reveals Argentine footballer receiving “brutal response” when he faced dilemma while joining new club in 2020, after his exit from Barca
The Lionel Messi-Pep Guardiola bonding seems to have taken a new turn after a latest book has revealed about the disguised ‘discussions’ which took place when Messi’s contract was slated to end with his long-time love, FC Barcelona. The Argentine stalwart, who later went on to claim football’s coveted tournament FIFA World Cup held in Qatar last year, had eventually joined French champions PSG, and won several accolades with the Ligue 1 heavyweights.
Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola- a bonhomie for the ages
Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola seems to have an unexplainable bonding since ages. The combination of the two had been an instant classic when Pep was at the helm of Spanish giants FC Barcelona, when Messi had been adjudged the undisputed face of the club. Several histories of Messi-magic had born during this era, as Pep’s reign will always go down in history as one of the greatest era in Barca club, with the Argentine scoring a world record of 92 goals in a single season, a record which is still blooming at the zenith, waiting to be unbroken. Pep has often credited Messi for the glamorous and stellar coach he had become, as their camaraderie continues to inspire modern age people, which has been etched in the history books as a heart-warming bonhomie among coach and his protege.
Reportedly, new stories have surfaced regarding the bond between these two legends. In a book named “God Save Pep”, written by Marti Perarnau, who had also been granted access to write behind-the-scenes about Pep, it has been mentioned about a disguised ‘meeting’ between the two, as the agenda discussed there was a potential Messi move to Manchester City, before he joined for PSG.
Warned about weather
Along with Messi and Guardiola, there was another stalwart who was mentioned in the books who made a proper introduction to City’s potential ‘hard’ training regime- Sergio Aguero, the Manchester City legend. Apparently, Messi had asked Aguero about his days in City, and had even indulged himself in Pep’s potential contract at the English giants. It had reportedly led Messi to contact his old boss, vying for a memorable return of the enterprising duo.
Some of the excerpts from the book says that Messi was intimidated about the harsh training regime and the unfavorable rainy weather in Manchester, which makes it difficult for players to train. It says that Guardiola had said, “In Manchester we train very hard and I make long tactical talks. Maybe you’ll get bored.”
To this reply, Messi had mentioned about his tenacity which would make things better, as claims were made that the World Cup winner said, “I will train hard, I’m not worried. I will put up with everything you do.” But his pleads for a final dance with Pep went in vain as it is reported that Pep had answered in a brutal fashion, citing about “growing old”. He had said, “Leo, we have grown older. Maybe we can’t stand each other anymore.”
What a memorable reunion it would have been, as the Messi-Pep combination might rack up numbers in the final stages of their career, which could have been a treat to the eyes of City supporters!
