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Pep Guardiola has been the new Manchester City manager for four months now, but he could have joined another European giant this summer.
That's according to Catalan journalist Martí Perarnau, who's written two biographies about Guardiola's time at Bayern Munich. Perarnau is a very respected journalist and very close friends with Pep, and he claims the manager was approached by none other than Real Madrid last year.
But since his mind was already made up about moving to City, he rejected the offer:
"Real Madrid called Pep Guardiola to try and tempt him last November, before they sacked Rafa Benítez. Madrid contacted [Josep Maria] Orobitg, Guardiola’s agent, in order to try and contract him. But from the start it was out of the question. I was there."
It's impossible to see Guardiola ever coaching Madrid, given he's Catalan and a Barcelona legend, both as a player and a coach. Every proud Catalan who's a Barça fan doesn't like Real Madrid, and since he had already decided to join the Citizens in England, Guardiola never even considered moving to Los Blancos.
Without Pep, Madrid went with Zinedine Zidane and won the Champions League. Good alternative.