Pep Guardiola Leaves Barcelona, Cue The Man City, Chelsea and Inter Milan Rumors

What He Did: Guardiola took control of the senior Barcelona team in 2008. He made a tremendously skillful team far more ordered and effective. He moved Messi into the middle with his “false nine” role. His team’s exerted greater control on matches, holding even more possession and condensing space for the opponent with a high defensive line and intense pressing. In four seasons he won the Spanish league three times and the Champions League twice. He lost just two times in 15 matches against Real Madrid.

Why He’s Leaving: He’s exhausted. Barcelona is collectively owned by its fans. Everything is political. Club officials are elected. It’s not enough to win or to win playing attractive soccer for the fans. A coach must win in a manner that reflects well on the present regime. There’s no margin for error. This year’s 43-3-12 record with a +127 goal difference will be looked at as a failure. That’s before getting to the tactical demands of top=level soccer and managing the egos of some of the world’s greatest players. The pressure is relentless and draining.

What It Means For Barcelona: Don’t expect drastic change. Barcelona’s system pumps out coaches like it pumps out nimble, technically proficient midfielders. Barcelona have appointed unproven assistant and former Barcelona B coach Tito Vilanova, sort of like when they appointed unproven, former Barcelona B coach Pep Guardiola in 2008. If not the world’s best team, Barcelona will be in the discussion.

Where Does He Go? Young and extraordinarily successful, he’s soccer’s Urban Meyer (minus the dickery). Opportunities would be plentiful, but expect him to take a year off. He’s a native of Catalonia and has spent more than two decades at Barcelona as a player and coach. He won’t go elsewhere in Spain. He’ll be rumored everywhere though a return to Italy, with one of the Milan clubs, or a move to England with Arsenal or Chelsea seem the most plausible destinations.

[Photo via Presswire]