“‘On ONE CONDITION’: Inter Miami star and Argentina international Lionel Messi reveals the sole condition under which he would consider joining Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in January, amidst the Rodri injury saga and the ongoing crisis at the club.”

Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi forged an iconic partnership at Barcelona, dominating European football and shattering records.

Guardiola’s tactical brilliance combined with Messi’s extraordinary skill made them a nearly unbeatable force.

One of Guardiola’s most impactful decisions during his tenure was deploying Messi in the “false nine” role, a shift that proved immensely successful. Messi thrived in the position, scoring an incredible 91 goals in 2012 alone.

Though their time together was highly successful, a reunion between Guardiola and Messi always seemed unlikely. However, according to author Martí Perarnau, they came close to reuniting at Manchester City in 2020.

Perarnau revealed conversations between the two, where Guardiola emphasized the hard training regimen in Manchester. Messi responded confidently, saying, “Doesn’t bother me.

I’m ready for hard work.” Guardiola also mentioned his lengthy tactical talks, warning Messi that they might be tedious, but Messi reassured him, saying, “I’ll cope, I can handle anything you throw at me.”

Despite their mutual interest, the move never came to fruition. Messi stayed at Barcelona for another year before joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

Now playing for Inter Miami, it seems highly unlikely that Messi will ever play under Guardiola again.