Barcelona welcomed Pep Guardiola back as a supporter rather than a coach on Friday, when the former Manchester City manager took his seat at the Palau Blaugrana for Barcelona’s EuroLeague basketball meeting with Olympiacos.
Key takeaways
- Guardiola is taking a sabbatical after his departure from Manchester City.
- The Catalan attended Barcelona’s basketball game against Olympiacos at the Palau Blaugrana.
- Fans gave the former Barça coach a prolonged ovation after he appeared on the arena screen.
- Barcelona lost 105-100 to Olympiacos after extra time.
- Guardiola won 14 trophies during four seasons as Barcelona’s first-team manager.
A homecoming at the Palau
The visit came two days after Guardiola had watched Manchester City lose to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League at the Etihad Stadium. Back in his native city, he was initially just another figure in the crowd until the Palau’s big screen showed him to the stands.
Recognition brought a wave of applause that continued for close to a minute. Guardiola then rose from his seat to acknowledge the reception, prompting an even louder response from the Barcelona supporters around the arena.
It was not, however, a fortunate week for Guardiola in the role of spectator. Barça’s basketball side were beaten 105-100 by Olympiacos in extra time, following the City defeat he had witnessed in Manchester.
A lasting Barcelona connection
Guardiola’s link with Barcelona reaches back to his development years at the club. He came through its youth system and played for the first team from 1999 to 2001, operating in midfield. During his playing spell, he collected six Spanish titles and was part of the Barcelona side that secured the club’s first European crown in the 1991-92 season.
His greater defining chapter arrived on the bench. Guardiola began his managerial career with Barcelona and led the senior side from 2008 until 2012, collecting 14 trophies in four seasons. Among them were two Champions League triumphs, in 2008-09 and 2010-11.
That record ensured the applause at the Palau carried more than nostalgia: it was a salute to one of the central figures of Barcelona’s modern European history, returning to the city during a break from the game.
