Pep Guardiola says he will never manage Barcelona again

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has said that he will never manage former club Barcelona again.

The Spaniard's current contract with Manchester City expires in 2021, leading many to believe that he will leave the Cityzens to re-join Barcelona and take the club back to the top of European football.

Guardiola is, however, reportedly keener to sign a contract extension with Manchester City rather than to make a return to Catalonia.

Manchester City have had a below-par start to their 2020-21 Premier League campaign and are coming off the back of a 2019-20 season where they finished 18 points behind eventual winners, Liverpool.

It is reportedly Guardiola's aim to get Manchester City back to the top of English football and to challenge for a Champions League crown, something that he has been unable to do during his time in Manchester.

Pep Guardiola says he will NEVER return to Barcelona! 😵 pic.twitter.com/pBf3QSqNxh

— Goal (@goal) October 31, 2020

Pep Guardiola rules out returning to Barcelona in the future

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After retiring as a player, Guardiola briefly coached Barcelona B, with whom he won a Tercera División title, and assumed control of the first team in 2008. In his first season as manager, Guardiola led Barcelona to the treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and UEFA Champions League. He became the youngest manager to win the aforementioned European competition.

In 2011, after leading the club to another La Liga and Champions League double, Guardiola was awarded the Catalan Parliament's Gold Medal and was also named the FIFA World Coach of the Year. He ended his four-year Barcelona stint in 2012 with 14 honors, which is a club record.

When asked about a possible return to Barcelona in an interview with BT Sport, Guardiola made it clear that he has no intention of returning to his former club. He said:

"My period as Barcelona manager is over. I think once in a lifetime you have to do things. It's over, I will come back to my city to see my club, to watch the game. It's done."

There is hope at Barcelona that Guardiola may return to the club one day and help them rediscover their magic. The Catalan giants have had a turbulent couple of seasons and have made three managerial changes in that time.

Pep Guardiola [2017]:"Never will I come back to Barcelona to be a coach - my period there is gone." [via @footballdaily] pic.twitter.com/dRpgc29uUI

— Man City Report (@cityreport_) October 29, 2020

Barcelona hired Ronald Koeman this summer to lead the team into a new era. However, with club president Josep Bartomeu getting the sack and the club having endured a slow start to the season, many fans and pundits are doubting the future of the Dutch tactician.