Why Guardiola may never come to Serie A as a coach

Not many remember Pep Guardiola was a Serie A player in the 2000s, but those who hope the Spanish tactician will return to the Peninsula as a coach may be left disappointed.

Guardiola played 28 games in Serie A for Brescia and Roma, scoring three goals for the Rondinelle, who were one of the most exciting Italian teams at that time, coached by the legendary Carlo Mazzone.

Guardiola has always had a special bond with the Bel Paese. He’s an Italian wine lover; he is on good terms with many legendary Italian players and managers but may never return to the country as a coach.

Guardiola said regarding a possible appointment on Italy’s top flight last year: “I spent two years in Italy. I have many friends there, especially in Brescia. Every nice thing happening in Italy makes me happy, but I think I’d rather go to Italy on holiday than to coach.”

The Spanish tactician was heavily linked with a move to Juventus in 2019, one year after the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Bianconeri had decided to part company with Massimiliano Allegri after five years that summer and multiple sources claimed the Serie A giants had reached an agreement with Pep, even if club sources never confirmed it.

Guardiola eventually remained at Manchester City, while Juventus got Maurizio Sarri, but the Tuscan coach was sacked after just one season.

Guardiola is now preparing for a key Premier League game against Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea. Man City v Chelsea Live Stream is available on multiple platforms, but this could be the only way Serie A fans can enjoy some of the Guardiola magic in the dugout.

His contract at Etihad Stadium, in fact, runs out in June 2025, but the Spanish coach said earlier in December that he could even retire at the end of the current campaign if Manchester City repeated their treble feat.

Pep was probably joking but in any case, Serie A clubs don’t seem to have the financial strength to persuade the best coach in the world to join the league.

Abolishing the Growth Decree in January has further reduced Serie A clubs’ chances to attract big players and coaches from abroad by saving 50% from their gross wages. If, in the past, this law helped Serie A clubs sign big stars such as Romelu Lukaku and Cristiano Ronaldo, Italian clubs can no longer rely on financial aid from the Government from 2024, further reducing their chances of getting one of the best coaches in the history of the game.