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    27 April 2012| last updated at 10:12AM

    Guardiola to announce Barca future



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    MADRID - Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola is likely to announce on today whether he is staying or leaving the Spanish champions, a source close to the team said Thursday.

       “Everything points to the coach possibly making a statement on his future  on Friday,” said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

    The fact that Guardiola has yet to sign a new Camp Nou contract has led to  intense speculation on his future with rumours rife that he will quit on Friday.

       Guardiola, 41-year-old architect of one of Barcelona’s most successful  footballing eras, said Tuesday that he would be speaking to Barca president  Sandro Rosell in the coming days to decide his future.
       The Barca coach revealed he would be holding the pivotal meeting at a news  conference after Barcelona were knocked out of the Champions League by Chelsea.

       Barcelona’s Champions League exit and their loss to Real Madrid on Saturday  — which led Guardiola to concede the league title will go to Madrid — has led  some to speculate about a mini-slump.

       But Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said Monday he was convinced that  Guardiola will continue at the helm.
       “I think he’s going to keep going — he loves this club, he loves his  profession,” he said. “I think there is no bigger passion for him than football  and FC Barcelona. So really I bet he will be with us next year.”    Spain’s press was filled with rumours Thursday about Guardiola’s possible  departure but none of the reports quoted named sources and the club declined to  comment.

       In April last year Guardiola told Italian television Rai Sports that he  felt his time as Barcelona coach was coming to a close.
       “I feel good here but I believe my time at Barcelona is ending,” the coach  said.

       “I’ve already done three years, one more will be four years. And in four  years a big club needs a lot of courage to keep the same coach. Everyone should  know when it’s the right time to go, as I always heard when I was a player.”    The coach extended his contract with Barcelona by a season in February 2011  and his new deal expires in June this year.

       Guardiola, who spent most of his playing career at Barcelona, coached  Barcelona’s B team before taking control of the first-team squad in June 2008  from Dutchman Frank Rijkaard. - AFP

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