Pep Guardiola

Pep' Guardiola has transformed Barcelona into arguably the greatest club side of all time, and this entertainingly perceptive biography explains how. Guardiola spent the majority of his playing days with Barca and was an integral part of Johan Cruyff's European Cup-winning 'dream team'. But it was on retiring from playing that he really made his mark on the club. After travelling the world, he became a coach of the Barcelona reserve team, and a year later, in 2008, he was appointed the first-team manager. The club went on to win an unprecedented thirteen of the sixteen competitions they entered under his leadership, and he became the youngest-ever manager to win the Champions League. Then, at the end of the 2012 season, after having been awarded the FIFA World Coach of the Year, he resigned following four years of unprecedented achievement. He immediatelty became the most sought-after free-agent in football, and his next move was keenly anticipated. Some call Guardiola's influence on Barca revolution, others evolution. Whatever the answer, the impact he has had goes beyond football. He represents a style, a club, a country and even old-fashioned values, at a time when they seem so scarce. Guillem Balagu 's insightful book reveals how Pep Guardiola's Barcelona played the 'Beautiful Game' - and won.

'A must-read for anyone who's doubted Pep's influence, from handing the power to Barça's homegrown crop to never betraying his childhood romanticism of the game Four Four Two

'Balague's insightful biography presents Guardiola as a relentless perfectionist - a man obsessed with the minutiae of football, often unable to switch off' SPORT

This fully updated edition of the international bestseller includes Manchester City's incredible 2017-18 league triumph

Pep Guardiola is the most successful and sought-after football coach in the world. After being appointed first-team manager in 2008, he transformed Barcelona into arguably the greatest club side of all time, winning thirteen trophies in four years, and he won the Double twice in his three years in charge of Bayern Munich. He then faced his biggest challenge yet when he joined Manchester City in 2016: to turn them into a team that consistently wins in the most difficult of leagues and a regular challenger in the Champions League. But in only his second year at the club, he had turned a good side into memorable one, leading them to the Premier League title in record-breaking style . . . and doing it the Guardiola way.

Guillem Balagué has followed Pep's career from the outset and has had direct access to the man and his inner circle for this updated edition. This then is the definitive portrait of Pep Guardiola and his relentless pursuit of footballing perfection.

Auteur

Guillem Balague