Pep talk

Johan Cruyff has claimed that Pep Guardiola lost the support of the club’s board when Sandro Rosell became president.

“Guardiola almost made perfect decisions, and he had the support of club’s higher-ups to protect him,” he told El Periodico. “After the elections, that was all gone.”

It should be noted that the Dutchman is not a disinterested observer here, having had a running feud with Rosell since he ousted former president and Cruyff ally, Joan Laporta, in 2010.

The 41-year-old coach, the most successful in the club’s history with 13 major honors in a four-year spell, will leave Camp Nou after Friday’s Spanish Cup final against Athletic Bilbao to take a sabbatical from football.

Cruyff believes that it is the end of an era for the club.

“With Guardiola’s exit, a cycle ends, because he was the one who had all the control,” he continued. “It would be nice if he could end this cycle by winning the Copa del Rey.”