Barcelona president Laporta 'tried to LURE Guardiola back as manager'

Barcelona president Joan Laporta ‘tried to LURE Pep Guardiola back as manager ahead of the 2022-23 season’ but after refusing, the Man City boss ‘advised him to re-appoint Luis Enrique’ after Ronald Koeman’s tenure finishes

  • Ronald Koeman was handed a lifeline by Barcelona heading into the new season
  • Joan Laporta has kept Koeman on for another season after a tough 2020-21 term
  • But Laporta has reportedly made desperate efforts to bring back Pep Guardiola
  • Barcelona president Laporta has begun thinking about life after Koeman

Joan Laporta tried to convince Pep Guardiola to sensationally return as Barcelona manager in the summer of 2022, according to reports.

Following a difficult last campaign, in which the club finished third in LaLiga and were knocked out at the last-16 stage of the Champions League, Laporta handed Ronald Koeman a lifeline by giving him at least one more season at the helm.

But according to Esport3’s programme Onze, as cited by Mundo Deportivo, Laporta has already begun to think about life after Koeman by making efforts to lure Guardiola back to the Nou Camp ahead of the 2022-23 campaign, only for the Manchester City manager to refuse.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta wanted to bring back Pep Guardiola as manager

Ronald Koeman was handed a lifeline by Barcelona chief Laporta ahead of the 2021-22 season

Guardiola and Laporta remain close friends following their successful days working together during the latter’s first spell as president from 2003 to 2010.

Guardiola was promoted to first-team coach by Laporta in 2008 having impressed as boss of the club’s reserve side, and the rest was history.

Guardiola would go onto win three LaLiga titles, two Champions Leagues, two FIFA Club World Cups and two Copa del Rey’s during his stellar spell in charge at Barca – which would come to an emotional end in 2012.

The report went onto claim that during Laporta’s efforts to convince Guardiola to return to the Nou Camp, the City boss congratulated the Barca president on giving Koeman one more chance to prove his worth – claiming he deserves a full season without the chaos caused by the Covid pandemic.

But Guardiola did give some advice to Laporta over the way forward for Barcelona post-Koeman.

Guardiola was reportedly happy with the decision to give Koeman one more season in charge

When discussing a new project, Guardiola reportedly advised Laporta that the best candidate to take over at Barca following Koeman’s reign would be Spain boss Luis Enrique. 

Enrique previously managed the Spanish giants for three years between 2014 and 2017.

During his spell in charge, Enrique won two LaLiga titles, one Champions League, one FIFA Club World Cup and three Copa del Rey’s.

Enrique is now managing Spain’s national team, and just guided his country into the quarter-finals of the Euros following their thrilling victory over Croatia.

Laporta will certainly be keeping his eye out for Koeman’s eventual replacement, but for the time being, he will be desperate for the Dutchman to prove many people wrong and turn the club’s fortunes around.

Guardiola advised Laporta to re-appoint Luis Enrique as manager after Koeman’s tenure ends




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