"My period as Barcelona manager is over'' - Pep Guardiola rules out possibility of linking up with Lionel Messi at Camp Nou

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola has finally addressed rumors linking him with a move to Barcelona to link up with former protege, Lionel Messi.

After watching his side beat Sheffield United in the Premier League on Saturday October 31, Guardiola ruled out the possibility of returning to Camp Nou, insisting his “period as Barcelona manager is over.”

Guardiola is in the last six months of his current contract with Manchester City, and this week Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu announced he will be stepping down as president following the club’s failures on and off the pitch last season.

Barca presidential candidate Victor Font also announced he wanted to bring Guardiola back so as to arrange a reunion between the 49-year-old and Lionel Messi.

“It is our intention to build a very strong and competitive project and we are very lucky at Barca that we inherited a style of play that Johan Cruyff instilled throughout the organisation, and most of the best professionals who know about this style are also fans and love the club – like Pep Guardiola, Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta, [Carlos] Puyol,” Font told Sky Sports earlier this week.

“They are all legends that love Barcelona but do not work for Barca today – we need to bring them back to ensure we will have a very competitive project.”

But Guardiola, who began his coaching career at Camp Nou, winning 14 major trophies between 2008 and 2012, including three La Liga titles and two Champions League crowns, says he won’t be going back to Barca but instead wants to extend his stay at the Etihad Stadium, by overseeing a successful 2020-21 campaign.

“My period as Barcelona manager is over. I think once in a lifetime you have to do things,” Guardiola said at Bramall Lane on Saturday afternoon.

“There are incredible people who can be in charge there, now for example Ronald Koeman. It’s over, I will come back to my city to see my club, to watch the game, it’s done.”