Spain According to sporting director Deco, what Pep Guardiola did at Barca is not considered a great revolution.
"When he arrived at Barca, everyone spoke of a great revolution, and that was a big lie," Deco told La Vanguardia on February 5. "Ronaldinho and I left, but Barca still had Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Yaya Toure, Sergio Busquets from the youth team, Samuel Eto'o and of course Lionel Messi."
Deco downplayed Guardiola's achievements, but also acknowledged that the former coach was smart to inherit the old squad, thereby imposing order and quality to build the squad. "Guardiola built the best team I have ever seen. He did not waste any time," Deco added.
Barca players cheer Guardiola after the 2009 Champions League final win over Man Utd, in Rome, Italy. Photo: PA
In 2008, after former coach Frank Rijkaard had failed to win two consecutive seasons, President Joan Laporta decided to promote Guardiola from the B team to the first team of Barca. One of Guardiola's biggest decisions was to sell two established players, Ronaldinho to AC Milan and Deco to Chelsea. However, Barca still had Xavi, Iniesta, Toure, Eto'o, Messi, Carles Puyol and Thierry Henry. Guardiola combined these players with the young talent Busquets, new signings Gerard Pique and Dani Alves to form a top team. He won the treble in his first season in charge of the first team, before winning another Champions League and two La Liga titles in the following three years.
Guardiola's legacy also became the foundation for Barca's subsequent success. Building on the generation of Xavi, Iniesta and Messi, former coach Tito Vilanova won a La Liga, Luis Enrique won a treble, two La Ligas, a Champions League, Ernesto Valverde won two La Ligas.
After leaving Barca, Guardiola won three consecutive Bundesliga titles with Bayern. He has been in charge of Man City since 2016, winning a treble, a Champions League and five Premier League titles. Guardiola is the only manager to have won two trebles and done it with two different clubs.
Deco played for Barca from 2004 to 2008, a period when they won a Champions League and two La Liga titles. This season, the 46-year-old Portuguese midfielder returns to work as sporting director under Laporta. It was announced on January 27 that coach Xavi will leave at the end of the season. Laporta and Deco are reviewing a list of candidates to replace him, including Hansi Flick, Roberto De Zerbi, Rijkaard, Mikel Arteta, Imanol Alguacil and Michel.
According to Catalunya Radio , Deco has also set his sights on FC Porto coach Sergio Conceicao. In his six-year tenure, Conceicao has helped Porto win three Portuguese league titles and three Portuguese Cups. In the Champions League group stage this season, Porto lost both games to Barca, but still finished level on points and qualified for the round of 16, where they will face Arsenal.
Thanh Quy (according to La Vanguardia, Catalunya Radio )
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