Pep’s era comes to an end

Tonight at the Vicente Calderón in Madrid will be Pep Guardiola’s last match as Barcelona’s manager. It will also be the end of a fantastic era and a fantastic footballing cycle. Pep’s term at Barcelona will probably go down as the most successful in Barca’s long history. It may be fate but tonight’s Copa del Rey final is the same competition in which Barca under Pep, played in to win his first trophy as manager, and against the same team!

Back in 2009, Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 1-4 under Caparros and this was just after the Catalans punished Real Madrid in that famous 2-6 at the Santiago Bernabeú. The league was also won by Barca that year and they also took on Manchester united in Rome at the Champions League final and won that, too. This was an amazing season and pep’s first as Barca coach. What a successful season that was, taking an awesome six trophies in the process and marking an era of complete dominance by the Catalan giants.

Pep’s second season as coach brought him more spoils: The league and the Spanish Super Cup. Barca lost out to Seville in La Copa del Rey this season and Jose Mourinho also ended Barca’s Champions League run with Inter Milan.

Last season for Guardiola reaped two more trophies namely the league and the Champions League against Manchester United at Wembley. Real Madrid scooped the King’s Cup that year at Mestalla, where Sergio Ramos famously dropped the trophy from the team’s bus. This season, Barcelona have already won the Spanish and European Super Cups, as well as the World Club Championship which took place in Japan. If Pep’s team win tonight at the Vicente Calderón against Athletic Bilbao, they will have won an incredible 14 trophies out of a possible 19 – who can follow that?

According to sources close to Guardiola, his farewell to the club has been a long and drawn out affair. Pep would like to end the season and disappear. Before he does though, he has one last trophy to win and two press conferences left, his last one was last night at the Nou Camp.

Whatever happens tonight, Guardiola will be cherished and remembered by both team and fans. Make no mistake though, Barcelona will be going all out for a win and they’ll do it for Pep.