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Guardiola back in town for "special" Camp Nou return

Xinhua, May 6, 2015 Adjust font size:

Pep Guardiola returned to the press room in the Camp Nou Stadium for the first time in almost three years on Tuesday, only this time he did so as coach of Bayern Munich, who face his former club in the first leg of the Champions League on Wednesday night.

"It's fantastic to return and I have a lot of memories," said Guardiola, who advised he would not let sentiment get in the way of the job in hand.

"It is very special because I spent many years here, but now I am the coach of Bayern Munich, that is my job and I will do it the best I can," he said.

Guardiola said it was "inevitable" to remember his four years as Barca coach, but added that he knew that if he coached other important clubs he knew one day he would return. "I'm happy to be back, but my aim is to qualify (for the final) in Berlin."

"I have tried not to think about coming back, I thought about Barca and what I would do if I had to play them. Clearly this is not a normal game for me, but when I am here for work, I am here for work and I have not been distracted by everything that is happening," continued the coach.

"We have come here for the game, not for a homage," he advised, saying Barca had an advantage given that "they know me, but I can't control their talent and they can do the unexpected."

Guardiola predicted a game with goals, saying it would be " difficult" to see a 0-0 draw and warned that if Bayern wanted to reach the final, "we have to score.. I have come here to win," he concluded. Endite