Among the many questions brought about by UEFA’s decision to ban Manchester City from the Champions League, the one around Pep Guardiola is the biggest.
The City coach had already been hinting that he could leave the Etihad this summer, with many believing he has come to the end of his time in England.
The lack of European football has only added to those rumours, and one of the immediate responses to the news was the possibility of him heading to Juventus.
The Serie A side have already been touted as a possible destination and, accordingly, Gazzetta dello Sport have covered the situation today.
The newspaper says Juventus ‘palpitated’ for a long time about Guardiola, ‘chasing the dream’ of having the Catalan manager in the famous black and white.
They instead opted for Maurizio Sarri, but his disappointing first year in charge could ‘justify new appetites’.
However, it is equally true that Juventus CEO Andrea Agnelli has ‘expressed his trust’ in Sarri and the Italian coach also has two more years on his deal, meaning that Pep is not a target at this point.
They do, however, admit that suggestions he could swap Manchester City for Juventus ‘should not be dismissed superficially’.
The fact is, though, Guardiola is contracted to City for another season, and his connection has a ‘special armour’; his ‘fraternal friendship’ with CEO and Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain.
These things, plus Sarri’s contract, make a move to Juventus unlikely at this point but their previous interest means it cannot be ruled out entirely either.
