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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Lionel Messi has labeled Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola as the best coach he has had in his career.
The Spanish tactician managed Barcelona between 2008 and 2012, where he won three La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions League trophies amongst other silverware. Messi was a force of nature under Guardiola.
He scored 211 goals and provided 94 assists in 219 matches under the Spaniard across competitions. Messi's 73 goals and 32 assists in 50 matches across competitions in the 2011-12 campaign under Guardiola is the Argentine's most goal-laden season to date.
Speaking in an interview with Movistar (h/t BarcaBlaugranes), Lionel Messi bestowed Guardiola with the honor of being the best manager he has played under. He said:
“Pep is the best coach I’ve ever had. Everything he planned always ended up happening. He is special in the way he sees things, prepares for matches and communicates."
The record seven-time Ballon d'Or winner added:
"Guardiola did a lot of harm to football too because it seemed too easy, so simple that everyone wanted to copy it. Later I found many ‘Guardiolas’ out there, and you realize what we did, what that was.”
Guardiola left Barcelona at the end of the 2011-12 campaign and, after a brief sabbatical, became Bayern Munich's manager the following year. He left the German giants in 2016 to take over the reins at Manchester City, where he has won four Premier League titles.
Messi, meanwhile, joined PSG before the start of the 2021-22 season after his contract expired at Camp Nou. Both Messi and Guardiola could become free agents next summer, with their respective contracts coming to an end at the end of the season.
Barcelona star doesn't mind Lionel Messi winning the World Cup in Qatar
Spain international and Barcelona midfielder Pedri has shown his support for Lionel Messi's Argentina ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Both Pedri and Messi have been named in their country's 26-man squads for the event in Qatar. The former, of course, wants Spain to lift the World Cup title for the second time in their history.
However, he wants La Albiceleste to go all the way if La Roja falter in the competition. Pedri told Marca (h/t Barca Universal):
"I think Messi deserves a World Cup. Hopefully, we win it, but if Spain don’t win it, let him win it with Argentina."
