5 iconic moments from Pep Guardiola's career

Josep Guardiola - a name that still echoes in the corners of the Nou Camp. The man who gifted them glory. The man who reinstated La Blaugrana to their status as one of the best clubs in the world. Guardiola arrived in tumultuous times at the Nou Camp and left leaving a legacy of his own.

A lot has changed since the Spaniard left Barcelona, but one thing still remains intact. Josep Guardiola almost always gets the better of his most bitter rivals. A brilliant player as well as a coach, few can disagree over the debate of the Spaniard as a world-class manager and an all-time great in the game's history.

One of the very few men to have had a glittering career both as a player and a manager, Guardiola is one of the only seven names who have won the European Cup both as a player and as a coach.

The man who tapped into to the revolutionary tiki-taka tactic with aplomb, Guardiola's contribution to the world of football will never be forgotten in the years to come.

Let's see 5 of the most crucial moments that made the legend of Josep Guardiola we see today:

---

#5: 100th European match as a coach

Guardiola won 6-1 in his 100th European match as a coach

Marking a century with something special is a dream for everyone. In case of footballers, it has to be with a goal or two. In case of a manager, a win would suffice.

But, the Bayern Munich squad had a special surprise for Guardiola in his 100th European match as a coach. Earlier, Bayern had drawn Porto in the quarter-finals and were being touted as favourites to qualify for the semis. However, the match ended in a 3-1 defeat for the Bavarians away from home. Porto also ended Bayern's 11-match unbeaten streak.

There was a lot of pressure on Bayern as Porto came to the Allianz Arena for the second leg. It was Pep's 100th European match and they had a tough task on their hands. However, the team not only exacted revenge on Porto but also gifted Guardiola one of the finest moments of his career with a whopping 6-1 win. They qualified for the quarter-finals, with Guardiola adding another special moment in his chunk of memories.

The 100th European match as a coach couldn't have got any better than a 6-1 win coupled with and an amazing comeback.

#4: The earliest league win in Bundesliga

Bayern Munich won a record 24th league title under in Guardiola's first season as the boss at Allianz

In his second year as the Bayern Munich manager, Guardiola accomplished another feat to be immensely proud of.

In the treble-winning season 2012-13, Jupp Heynckes had set a record for winning the earliest league, with six matches remaining. Guardiola broke the record in the next season itself, winning the league with seven matches in hand by the end of March.

In a memorable campaign, Guardiola also set a record for the longest winning streak as a newly appointed manager at the club. The Spaniard took Bayern on a 28-game unbeaten run since assuming duties as the Bayern boss. The previous record was held by Karl-Heinz Feldkamp, who was unbeaten for the first 14 matches as a manager at the Allianz.

Another one of his noteworthy achievements was a 53-game unbeaten streak in the league, beating Hamburg's 36-game streak held since the 1982-83 season. The campaign marked another fine first season for the Spaniard after his historical exploits at Barcelona.

#3: UEFA 'Best Coach of the Year' in his first season (2008-09)

Guardiola beat Ferguson for the Coach of the Year award in the 2008-09 season

One of the most promising coaches of 2008, nothing would have made Guardiola happier than winning the 'Best Coach of the Year' in his first managerial year at the club. The Spaniard got the better of Sir Alex Ferguson who had won the award two times in a row.

The cherry on the cake was seeing four Barcelona players being named in the UEFA Team of the Year. Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Dani Alves, all took to the podium to receive their deserved awards with their genius coach.

Guardiola would win the award with a year gap, as he left Barcelona with a whopping 14 trophies in just four years.

#2: The first Champions League trophy (2008-09)

The brilliant Barcelona squad that won the treble in Guardiola's first managerial season

The 2008-09 season has to go down in history as the best season of the club. Guardiola's arrival was welcome, but no one had expected the way in which the young coach would make the world his own.

Many coaches have won a trophy in their first ever season as a manager. But a treble in the debut season? Only Guardiola can boast about that. After winning the Copa Del Rey and the La Liga, Barcelona were up against defending champions Manchester United in the Rome 2009 Champions League final.

Guardiola proved his mettle again as a sturdy Barcelona outclassed United in a 2-0 victory, completing the treble in style.

Defeating a shrewd tactician like Sir Alex Ferguson was one of the greatest achievements for Josep Guardiola at a young age. Of course, he would repeat the feat in 2011 at Wembley, winning his second Champions League title in three years.

#1: The La Manita (2010-11)

Marcelo tacking Lionel Messi in the fateful El Clasico held at the Nou Camp

No victory can match the eminence of the El Clasico that was held on the 29th of November, 2010. What a fine way to welcome a treacherous Jose Mourinho to the Nou Camp!

As the whistle blew at the start of the game, no one in their wildest dreams would have thought that the end result would be a 5-0 humiliation for the Los Galacticos.

A team that fielded the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema were left in utter dismay as the Cules punctured their defence five times in those fateful ninety minutes.

David Villa and Lionel Messi were at the height of their powers with Iniesta and Xavi pulling the strings in midfield, as Barca wreaked havoc in the Madrid backline. Real Madrid looked absolutely clueless, amidst Barcelona's possession-based masterstroke.

To top it all, the jubilant Barca fans were louder than ever, jeering their rivals and applauding their players.

At the end of the game, skipper Carles Puyol stated that he and the other Barca teammates clapped for themselves in the dressing room, as Guardiola outclassed Mourinho's Madrid with a fine display of tactics. A beautiful night to remember!