Josep Maria Bartomeu has hinted that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola could return to Barcelona at some point in the future.
Guardiola's men host the La Liga giants at the Etihad Stadium in the Champions League on Wednesday night after already suffering the humiliation of losing 4-0 upon his return to Camp Nou with City two weeks ago.
Ahead of the mouthwatering clash, the Catalan club's president exclusively sat down with the Daily Telegraph to talk all things Barcelona - and stated that he could envision seeing Guardiola head home in some capacity later on in his career.
Initially asked whether he thought the 45-year-old would manage in the Premier League, Bartomeu acknowledged that he had not foreseen it.
He said: No, no. I knew he wanted to go there as a player. He couldn't do that but now he is a manager. So it's normal that he went to the Premier League and I hope that one day he will be back here.�
When pressed to clarify those comments, he added: You never know (if Guardiola will return).
Exclusive: @JBurtTelegraph talks Messi, Pep and the Premier League with Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeuhttps://t.co/5PJkHczp1H
There are so many people who were at the club, went, came back again. You never know but right now he is concentrating on City. I think he has a three-year contract? We have a match [against City] and we are going there to win.
We need to win because the Champions League is very important for us. Our objective every year is to try and win every title and the Champions League is one of the titles we desire more.�
Guardiola led Barcelona during the greatest trophy-laden spell in the club's history as he helped the Spanish side win 14 titles across a four-year spell in charge.
After leaving German champions Bayern Munich in the summer, the ex-Barcelona star took up the reigns at City to team up with former Barcelona employees Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain in Manchester.
Despite Guardiola joining CEO Soriano and director of football Begiristain in the Premier League, though, Bartomeu rejected suggestions that City were looking to replicate Barcelona's strategy off the field of play.
He added: No, no, they are creating City. It is a City project. Everyone has their own philosophy but what is clear is that Pep Guardiola will do what many, many coaches who are in Europe training teams “ like Ronald Koeman “ do. They have the same concept of football because they were taught here.�
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