Pep Guardiola has hailed Terry Venables for his “incredible impact” at Barcelona and labelled him a “proper, proper man”.
Venables died yesterday, aged 80, after a long illness. He is best remembered in England for guiding the Three Lions to the semi-finals of Euro 96, but, as manager of Barcelona, he had an impact on a young Guardiola.
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The Manchester City boss was a Barca fan at the time Venables led the Blaugrana to the 1985 La Liga title and the final of the European Cup 12 months later.
A fabulous picture that shows Guardiola as a ball boy, looking up in admiration at Venables, has circulated on social media today and the Catalan was fulsome in his praise of the Londoner.
A 15-year-old Pep Guardiola in awe of Terry Venables after Barça’s victory over IFK Göteborg in the 1985/86 European Cup semi-final. PIC.TWITTER.COM/XVIKKRIVJT
— Mohamed Moallim (@iammoallim) NOVEMBER 26, 2023
He said: “As a Barcelona fan he gave us the first La Liga after 11 or 12 years.
“His impact there was incredible. He introduced something that had never been seen before, especially a certain type of pressing and the set pieces…I remember how many goals our central defender scored. He introduced many, many things. A true gentleman.
“Unfortunately, he could not win the Champions League in that time, with the final against Steaua Bucharest, but it’s a big loss for English football and for his family and for his wife.
“I read a lot in this past 24 hours, how many players talk about him and he was really impressive. Big condolences to all his family.”
Venables was a larger than life character and Guardiola fondly remembered how he enjoyed life away from the pitch as well.
He added: “The impact in that time, it was about two seasons so not long but the impact on the way they play, I remember talking with friends of mine who did play with him and their words for him not just as a manager but as a person.
“[He was] so funny, singing Frank Sinatra on Catalan shows. He was a proper, proper man.”
