"As long as they support Barcelona, it's fine" - Pep Guardiola responds when asked how Man City could increase supporters in Mexico

In the post-match interview after Manchester City beat Slovan Bratislava 4-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday, October 1, Pep Guardiola showed that he still has a soft spot for his former club Barcelona. Guardiola managed Barcelona from 2008 to 2012, his first job in senior football after being promoted from La Blaugrana's youth team.

During his four years at the club as a manager, he won multiple trophies, including two Champions League titles and three La Liga titles. Apart from working as a manager, he also represented the Catalonian giants during his playing career. He came through the club's famed La Masia academy and spent a decade with the first team.

After Manchester City’s match against Slovan Bratislava, Pep Guardiola was interviewed by TNT Sports. During the interview, he was asked:

"Here in Mexico, everyone supports Real Madrid or Barcelona. How can we attract people to Manchester City here?"

Guardiola cheekily responded:

"As long as they support Barca, it's fine."

How Pep Guardiola fared at Barcelona as a player and coach

Pep Guardiola joined Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy at the age of 13 from fellow Spanish side Gimnàstic de Manresa. He played for the various age grades of La Blaugrana's youth team and was promoted to the senior team in 1990 at the age of 19.

Guardiola was part of the team that won Barcelona’s 11th La Liga title in the 1990-91 season, ending Real Madrid’s five-year dominance in the league. He became a first-team regular in the 1991-92 season and was an integral part of the squad that won the double for La Blaugrana as the club won its first ever European Cup and retained the La Liga title.

The former Spanish defensive midfielder was part of the team that won four consecutive La Liga titles from 1991 to 1994. In 1997, he was given the captaincy role until his departure in 2001.

Pep Guardiola returned to his childhood club in 2007 as he was appointed manager of Barcelona B in 2007. Following his success with the youth team, he was appointed manager of the senior team in the following season.

Pep Guardiola’s tenure at FC Barcelona from 2008 to 2012 as a manager is one of the most celebrated periods in football history. Appointed as head coach at just 37 years old, the Spaniard stepped into a role that would not only define his career but also revolutionize the philosophy of the club and the game itself.

The Spanish tactician inherited a talented squad, including players like Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, and Andrés Iniesta, but it was his tactical acumen that truly transformed the team. Guardiola implemented a style of play known as "tiki-taka," characterized by short passing and movement, maintaining possession, and a relentless pressing game when out of possession.

Under Guardiola, La Blaugrana achieved unprecedented success. The pinnacle of this era came in the 2008-2009 season, when the team won an astounding six trophies, including the UEFA Champions League, La Liga, and the Copa del Rey. The UCL triumph saw him set a record of being the youngest manager to win the Champions League.

The following season he won the La Liga with 99 points, which was the highest points total by a team in Europe’s top five leagues, before it was broken by Real Madrid two seasons later. However, Pep Guardiola won the UCL for the second time as a manager in the 2010-11 season after falling short in the previous season.

By the end of the 2011-2012 season, Guardiola announced he would step down, citing the need for a break after four intense years.