Valentí Guardiola, father of Pep Guardiola, has stopped by 'Super Deportivo Radio' of Radio Villa Trinidad to talk about his son after qualifying for the Champions League final with Manchester City.
Selection: “No. I am not anyone to say what it has to be, because it will be about to turn 50 and it knows what is good for it and what is not good for it to do. Yes, I can tell you that I do not want it to lead the Spanish National Team, I think No. Now, to return to Barcelona as a coach or as a person who gives advice that did not rule it out, but the Spanish National Team doubt it “.
Final against Madrid: “To win this Champions League it would be a great satisfaction and you know that I would like the final to have been with Real Madrid. So that both will play and that the final has been with Madrid. Let's see if I could beat Real Madrid I would hope that Manchester would beat him. “
Messi: “Messi is a separate number. I think there is no club in the world that does not want him. I have seen Messi play at the age of 12 or 13 for the first time in the mini stadium and I was already amazed at how he played at Barcelona B. He is an out of series. There are few of Messi. I think that Pep would not be displeased to have him in this Manchester City. “
Messi is like a son for Pep: “My son with his father is a little 'fair' of words. He is like that, because he knows how much he loves me and does not want me to suffer situations. My son to Messi, has always had him as high as he would like to have him But today he is at Barcelona and 'Josep' has 'Barca' in his heart and he would never want to hurt Barcelona “.
Meet again: “I just want my son to continue what he is doing as now and that he is doing very well. It will be up to him if he can meet Messi again. I am nobody to say what he has to do or what I would like that could happen. I have always been with Barcelona and I want him to always win, but firstly I always want the team that Josep is playing to win. First is my son, but I also enjoy when Barcelona win. What he does for me it's a 10. I am very satisfied with his decisions: to go back to training Barca, hang up his boots or whatever. At his age, I shouldn't teach him anything else. Nor should I say 'I would like him to continue …' no, no, no … whatever he does will make me happy. “
End after 10 years: “His mother left 13 months ago due to this sad disease and pandemic. I don't know what I would say to her, then, but I can tell you that he suffered a lot like I suffer when his team plays. Many times it happens that when my son's team he plays those defining matches, sometimes I have to go outside to stop seeing him or retire, because I am already an age that my heart does not want to go through those sufferings because he already has his trots. My wife would be more than happy for this final, but You have to know how to endure because your health is not going well. Who suffered more: her or me? Surely I, because all my life I have liked football. I have suffered watching him play, train, because the only thing a father wants is for your son to win everything and that can't be. I always want my son to win and you have to know that you can't always win. Even so, when he played for Barcelona with 19 possible titles, he got 14 as a coach. He won two Club World Cups, Super Cup, King's Cups, Three Lig as and many titles. Many times there comes a time when you realize that he is your son and it is not easy to endure a full match, because it is not like the chess that you play and I play. There are many variants: the playing field, the ball, the goalkeeper, the merits, the circumstances. It's not like tennis. “
Moment: “The truth is that enjoying and suffering. Both things at the same time, because you can understand that the father always suffers for his children when he does not win, but at times things go well. Each game is different and depends a lot on luck. of each game that have to be played and if the opponents are very lucky and you don't have it that afternoon, you can lose being better than the other. For example, the rival (PSG) had a situation and did not convert and Manchester City, He took advantage of it. The teams that make it to the semifinals and finals are all good. Anyone can win. “
Happiness and sadness: “The greatest moment I lived with him was the first Champions League that he participated as a player at Wembley. For me it was the title that made me happiest with him, because I was on the field and it was a great joy . He played that final when he was 19/20 years old. Within the penalties, I would not know what to tell you. Yes, he suffered many games that did not turn out as he would have liked, but if I have to balance the joys and sorrows are 80% of joys and 20% of sadness.
Talk about football: “The truth is that we have had very few football talks with Pep. What happens is that from a very young age he always carried a soccer ball on his feet. His only toy was always a ball. He always played with balls. Yes, we loved Pep. To see him happy, you had to give him a soccer ball. For this reason, for the kings party every year they brought him a soccer ball. He always had soccer in his blood and to this day I don't know why it was like that. I never I played a soccer ball in my life. Nothing at all with the ball, because I used to work 10 hours a day to learn as a bricklayer. I barely got home tired and just had to go to sleep. So, the truth is, I don't know what has happened. happened with my son who has liked football so much “.