Pep Guardiola has one match remaining before a new era at Barcelona begins, and it provides a chance for him to go out in an appropriate manner.
Friday's Copa del Rey final (4 p.m., ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes) marks the end of Guardiola's four years coaching the Spanish giant, where he enjoyed unparalleled success in bringing three league championships and two UEFA Champions League titles to Camp Nou. Guardiola, a La Masia academy product, former Barcelona midfielder and former reserve team coach, took over in 2008, and the first trophy he won was the Copa del Rey at the expense of Athletic Bilbao — his final opponent as Barcelona manager.
With a victory over Marcelo Bielsa's Bilbao at Estadio Vicente Calderon in Madrid, Guardiola would add his 14th piece of silverware to Barcelona's trophy case to put an exclamation point on one of the greatest runs in the history of club soccer.
How will you look back on the Guardiola era at Barcelona? Do you think the club will take any steps back with Tito Vilanova taking over?
Share your thoughts (and any comments, opinions and play-by-play from today's match) below.
+1
Pep did something not to many coaches have don, he is and will remain Barqa legend.
Same boat as you. Can’t tolerate all that skill and talent…
God, I love it Bob Bradley likened to Jose Morhino.
Bob Bradley, is that you?
I think Mascherano has improved at Barcelona while Cesc has not. I think Cesc’s start on the bench shows what Pep thinks of his performance this year.
Bob Bradley?
Jose….is that you?
This is why smart opposing teams play 10 men behind the ball and simply wait to counter.
One team passing the ball endlessly 25 yards from goal, the other sitting 10 men inside 20 yards waiting to counter. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.
“tedious and distasteful”?? We must be watching different Barcelonas.
Yep. Luckily Vilanova has the same style as Guardiola.
??? You must be kidding.
Except the only way to beat them is to park the bus for 90 minutes and try to counter. I would rather watch tiki-taka any day.
Feel sorry for Bilbao. They tried to play attractive football, and Barca just ate them up. Down by 3 at the 30th minute. Now they just look desperate. Not even halftime yet.
In the end, Barca’s tiki-taka style under Pep became tedious and distasteful. I hope it goes away with him.
Pedro making his case for the euros with a first half brace. Messi with his 73rd in all competitions.
Pep is a class act.
I’d love to see him take over a mid-level club and be given the finances/freedom to build something of his own (rather than going to a giant like Chelsea).
I won’t even address rumors of him going to Liverpool as I did state he’s a class act.