How did Pep Guardiola do playing against Lionel Messi?

The PSG star and the Manchester City manager were once again rivals for the Champions League, but together they built an unforgettable Barcelona and strengthened each other, each in their role.

24/11/2021, 09:35 PM +00:00

They respect each other deeply and the affection is mutual, but they do not maintain a fluid relationship. The brilliant cycle in which they coincided and to a great extent were architects between 2008 and 2012 ended in a logical wear and they know that it is difficult for both of them to repeat something similar to that, which strengthened them in their careers.

In this context, Josep Guardiola, as Manchester City's technical director, and Lionel Messi as a Paris Saint Germain player, crossed paths again in the European Champions League, again without the Barcelona Football Club in between.

Pep Guardiola and Leo Messi were face to face for the sixth time in their careers. The first was with the Catalan leading Bayern Munich for the semi-final of the 2014/2015 Champions League. Leo scored two goals and gave an assist in Barcelona's 3-0 first leg at the Camp Nou. In the return, the Teutons won 3-2, but were eliminated.

A year later they met Pep again as Manchester City manager. For the group stage of the UCL2016-2017, the local prevailed in both games. Barcelona achieved a resounding 4-0 at the Camp Nou, with a Messi's hat-trick, and in the second leg the ten scored again, despite the Citizens' 3-1 victory