* Coach to leave at the end of the season
* Assistant to take charge
(recasts, adds quotes, details)
By Elena Gyldenkerne
BARCELONA, April 27 (Reuters) – Barcelona’s most successful
manager Pep Guardiola will walk away from the Catalans at the
end of the season and will be replaced by his assistant Tito
Vilanova, the club announced on Friday.
Guardiola’s decision to quit and recharge his batteries ends
a remarkable trophy-laden four-year spell built on a passing
style of unmatched fluidity and control.
“I’m sorry for the confusion in recent weeks. I’ve always
wanted short contracts because the demands at Barcelona are so
big,” the 41-year-old told a news conference at the Nou Camp
with players present in the audience.
“Now we were out of the two main competitions, it was a good
time to announce it.
“The reason is simple. Four years, that gets everyone tired.
The new coach will give things that I can’t give anymore.”
Speculation about Guardiola’s future intensified after
holders Barca were knocked out of the Champions League by
Chelsea 3-2 on aggregate in their memorable semi-final on
Tuesday when world player of the year Lionel Messi missed a
penalty.
That followed a 2-1 home loss to arch rivals Real Madrid on
Saturday that meant they are likely to miss out on a fourth
straight La Liga title.
A drained Guardiola added: “I am really sorry about having
lost that energy but I cannot lie to myself if I don’t have the
same energy and excitement as the beginning and I knew from
before it was my last season.”
The Nou Camp hierarchy have moved quickly to name a
successor and have continued in the mould of Guardiola, who was
previously their B team coach.
“We chose Tito because he represents the idea and the
image,” sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta said. “He has
commitment and personality.”
Guardiola has enjoyed a hugely successful stint at the helm
of the Catalan club, winning 13 trophies in four seasons while
playing a style of football that has been widely acclaimed as
the best in the world.
However, the longer he delayed a decision on his future the
more speculation grew he might quit and even be lured to another
club, with reports linking him to the Chelsea and Inter Milan
jobs among others.
Some suggested he was in line to become the next England
manager but he implied at the news conference that he was
planning to take a sabbatical.
He has preferred to renew his Barca contract on an annual
basis and waited until Feb. 8 last year before agreeing a new
deal.
He then went on to capture a third consecutive La Liga title
and a second Champions League crown, as well as the Spanish and
European Super Cups and the Club World Cup. Their success was
built on ball retention with teams fortunate to enjoy 30 percent
of possession against them.
Barca have a chance to claim more silverware this season in
the King’s Cup and play Athletic Bilbao in next month’s final.
(Writing by Iain Rogers in Madrid, Additional reporting by
Nigel Davies; Editing by Mark Meadows)
