'A big lie' - Barcelona sporting director makes sensational claim about Pep Guardiola
Barcelona sporting director Deco has hit back at claims that Pep Guardiola revolutionised the club during his four-year tenure as manager. Guardiola was promoted to manager of Barca's senior side in the summer of 2008 after a fine 2007/08 season in charge of their B team, replacing Frank Rijkaard in the Camp Nou dugout. In Guardiola's first season, Barcelona became the first Spanish club to win the treble, emerging victorious in La Liga, the UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey. Over his final three seasons, Barcelona would win another Champions League, La Liga twice more, another Copa del Rey, two FIFA Club World Cups, two UEFA Super Cups and three successive Supercopa de Espana. Barcelona from 2008 to 2012 are widely recognised as one of the very best teams of all time, but in an interview with La Vanguardia , current sporting director Deco - who was one of the first players sold by Guardiola - did not see his work as revolutionary despite crediting his success. Deco wa...