Johan Cruyff has raised eyebrows by claiming that FC Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola could leave the Catalan club following the 2011 UEFA Champions League final against Manchester United - win or lose. The former Barcelona star has said he wouldn't be surprised if the match was Guardiola's last game in charge of the team, although he was extremely vague about why he thought that:
UEFA Champions League Final 2011: Johan Cruyff Claims Pep Guardiola Might Make Barcelona Exit
Guardiola has worked very hard over the last few years and it wouldn’t surprise me if he left independently of Saturday’s result. If he left, it would only be because it is very difficult to withstand certain pressures in the long term.
It’s difficult to see just why he’d want out, although obviously we’re not privy to the ‘certain pressures’ Cruyff is talking about here. Barcelona’s internal politics are a bit of a mystery to me (and, I imagine, everyone reading this), but considering Guardiola’s success with the team, it would be stunning if they ended up forcing the manager out. Anyway, while Cruyff might not be surprised to see Guardiola go, most of the rest of us would.
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