Pep Guardiola had promised “many hugs” at the Spotify Camp Nou and it was. There was no lack of signs of affection on the part of the man from Santpedor when he returned six years later to what was his home. He had them with his outstanding student Xavi, in an unprecedented image on the bench – they were seen from laughing to talking about tactics – but above all with Juan Carlos Unzué, last night’s protagonist along with all the people who suffer from ALS.
Gone is the usual tension resulting from the competition that had been seen in previous visits by the coach to the Blaugrana stadium sitting on the foreign bench, as when he directed Bayern Munich or Manchester City.
Accustomed to spending practically the entire match in the technical area, Guardiola took it easy this time; in the first half in good company next to his friend and former teammate Unzué, with whom he commented on the goals of the two teams.
After the game he thanked him for the initiative and congratulated him on the response of the fans to practically fill the Blaugrana fiefdom. “Juan Carlos, you are an artist for having achieved it”, he told him at the joint press conference in which Xavi was also present. Of the Terrassa coach, Guardiola has no doubts. “He loves this club and he will do very well, I am fully convinced of that.”
For Guardiola it was “a joy” to see the stadium full to enjoy “an entertaining match, with goals from both sides” and he also spoke of other proper names: Xavi Hernández and Bernardo Silva. “Xavi knows a lot about football. We have talked for hours and hours when he was a player. He loves this club and will do very well, I am fully convinced”, he assured.
Regarding Bernardo Silva, he stressed that he is still a Manchester City player and none of this will change before the market closes. “He is a very important player for us. I have said it many times: if his wish was to leave and an interesting proposal came, he would have studied it, but in two years none has come and the player has a contract. To all of this, it must be said that Bernardo really likes Barcelona”.
