Leo Messi and Pep Guardiola—what a duo! They created football magic together at Barcelona, with Messi rising to new heights under Pep’s guidance.
So, when there was a chance for Messi to join Manchester City, fans couldn’t stop dreaming about what Messi and Pep could do together once again.
But, as we all know, that move never happened. In fact, it was Pep Guardiola himself who played a major role in stopping it.
So, the big question is: Why did Pep reject Messi at Manchester City?
Let’s dive into the details behind this unreal “what if” moment in football history.
Messi’s Burofax Drama – When He Almost Left Barcelona
Back in 2020, the football world was shocked when Messi handed in a burofax (official notice) to Barcelona, signaling his desire to leave the club.
Can you imagine Messi leaving Barça, the club he called home for more than 20 years? Yeah, it was huge.
At the time, Messi wasn’t just thinking about leaving—he had Manchester City in mind as his next destination.
Messi contacted Pep Guardiola through Sergio Aguero, one of his closest friends, to explore the idea of joining City.
Messi himself wanted to join City, especially to reunite with his former coach, Pep.
Why Manchester City?
It made perfect sense. Messi admired Pep, and City had a project that could match his ambitions. Plus, Manchester City had the resources to make such a big move happen—or so it seemed.
Messi and Pep even met up to discuss the possibility. It felt like the stars were aligning for this dream move.
But, this dream quickly started to fade away.
Pep’s Concerns: Age and the Premier League’s Intensity
As much as Pep loved the idea of working with Messi again, he had some serious concerns. Messi was 33 at the time, and Pep wasn’t sure if he could adapt to the physical demands of the Premier League at that age.
Pep told Messi, “I have doubts.” And these doubts were not just about Messi’s talent (we all know that Messi is goat level), but about whether Messi could keep up with the speed, intensity, and rough weather of England’s Premier League.
Can you imagine Messi in a rainy, cold mid-week game in Stoke? Even though Messi is incredible, Pep wasn’t sure if that version of Messi, at 33, could handle the unique challenges of the Premier League.
The 700 Million Euro Problem
And then, there was the financial side of things. Messi’s release clause at Barcelona was around 700 million euros.
Even for a club as rich as Manchester City, that was just too much money to spend on a player who was nearing the latter stages of his career.
So, Messi stayed at Barcelona for another season.
The Next Year – When Messi Was a Free Agent
Fast forward to 2021. Messi was finally a free agent, which meant he could sign with any club without that massive release clause hanging over him.
Once again, Manchester City were interested. And why wouldn’t they be?
But surprisingly, Pep wasn’t as keen this time around either.
Why Did Pep Say No Again?
By this time, Pep had shifted his focus to other players for his Manchester City project. Jack Grealish and Harry Kane were the names on top of his list.
Pep’s vision for City’s future involved building a younger, long-term team, and adding Messi at this point didn’t quite fit with his evolving strategy.
City were already flying high, with talents like Kevin De Bruyne (KDB), Ilkay Gundogan, and others. Adding Messi to this mix would have been jaw-dropping, but Pep had other plans.
It was about balancing short-term success with long-term growth, and Messi—despite being the greatest player of all time—didn’t align with that future vision for City.
What Could Have Been: Pep, Messi, KDB, and Haaland Together?
Imagine the possibilities. Pep, Messi, KDB, Haaland all in the same team? Mind-blowing, right? They could have dominated Europe together.
Messi’s creativity combined with City’s fluid passing game would have been pure football poetry.
But, football is full of “what if” moments, and this is definitely one of the biggest ones. We’ll never know exactly what they could have achieved together, but it’s fun to imagine.
Maybe Messi would’ve won another Ballon d’Or, or City would have finally conquered Europe sooner with Messi leading the attack.
Conclusion:
Pep Guardiola’s decision to reject the chance to sign Messi for Manchester City wasn’t an easy one, but it made sense.
Messi was aging, the Premier League was a tough challenge, and City had other priorities in mind with younger players like Jack Grealish and Harry Kane.
Football is unpredictable, and sometimes even the biggest stars don’t fit into the puzzle. But one thing’s for sure—Messi and Pep’s reunion will always be one of those “what if” stories in football that fans will think about for years to come.
In the end, Messi went on to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and while we didn’t get to see him in a City jersey, we can still admire the legacy he and Pep built at Barcelona.
Sometimes, the best moments are the ones we’ve already experienced.
So, what do you think? Would Messi have thrived at Manchester City, or was Pep right to say no? Share your thoughts with your friends, and keep dreaming of those crazy football “what ifs”!
