I left Barça because I couldn’t motivate my players any more”

In an interview with the magazine, ‘Audi Annual Report’, Pep Guardiola assured that “I left Barça becuase I couldn’t motivate my players any more.” When asked about the pressure of having so many football superstars in the same dressing room, the Bayern manager answered, “there was a right carry on at Barcelona whenever I left Messi on the bench”.
Difficult moments: “There have been moments of great sadness. Barcelona crashing out in the Champions League semifinals against Chelsea in 2012 was one of them. We were much better than our rivals, but we let in an unnecessary goal in the return game and before we knew it we were knocked out. That was a terrible defeat for me. I felt that I couldn’t gee my team up at all.”
Problems in the dressing rooms: “With so many stars in the line-up, as we have at Bayern de Muncich and as I had at Barça, you can find yourself in a situation where such diversity can be destructive. Everyone wants to play. For example, every time I left Messi on the bench, there was a right carry on at Barcelona.”
Leaving Barcelona: “If, as a manager, you can’t motivate your players any more, you know that it is time to go.”
Success with Barça: “We enjoyed a lot of success. Fourteen titles in just four years… it was the best era Barcelona has ever had. However, this can also work against you. I found it hard to motivate myself and my team.”
A year out: “There are moments when you need to chill out and recharge your batteries. That’s what I did when I went to New York. It was very important for me, for my family and also for Barcelona”.
Signing with Bayern: “My first contact with Bayern Munich was in the 2011 Audi Cup. Rummenigge and Hoeness asked me about my plans for the future.”

Advertisements