Zubizarreta: “I'm happy for Guardiola”

Andoni Zubizarreta / PHOTO: ARXIU FCB
FC Barcelona’s Sporting Director talks about Pep Guardiola’s decision to join Bayern Munich

Vilanova: “He’s had time to choose and he selected Bayern Munich, a top notch club”

The German Club officially announced this Wednesday that ex-Barça manager Josep Guardiola will be their new head coach through 2016. The news didn’t go unnoticed at the Camp Nou. “I’m very pleased for Guardiola. It means that he’s doing well and that he’s well rested; it means that he’s eager to return to the world of football. Tito said this Tuesday that it’s good for someone like Guardiola to be involved in football,” said Andoni Zubizarreta after tonight’s match against Málaga.

FC Barcelona’s director of football said that he had no prior knowledge of the agreement and that he understands why Guardiola selected a team like Bayern: “Bayern are a club that can offer you a solid and stable project, they also have good players. He’s found what he was looking for and I’m happy for him.”

“Bayern are a top notch team”

Tito Vilanova also talked about Guardiola’s move to the German club: “I’m very happy that he decided to return. Bayern are a great team.” The FC Barcelona manager also noted that “from what I understand there was a confidentiality clause,” but he considers that Guardiola made the correct decision: “I don’t know how many teams or what kind of contracts he was offered but I’m sure they were all top notch. He’s had time to think about where to go. Bayern are an historic club, they have four Champions League titles to their name, and their facilities are fantastic.”

Here are Puyol, Mascherano and Pinto’s reactions to the news:

Puyol: “They are a very good team and he’s a fantastic manager. He’s going to one of the big clubs in Europe and I wish him the best.”

Mascherano: “It was expected for Guardiola to manage a great club and that’s what Bayern is. They have a lot of German players, they have a defined philosophy and style of play.”

Pinto: “We knew that he was eager to start managing again. I wish him the best. If he’s happy, we’re happy.”