PEP GUARDIOLA left Steve Bruce in tears of laughter during a conversation about bringing Lionel Messi to Manchester City.
A reunion between the pair was on the cards in 2020 when Messi’s contract with Barcelona started to wind down.
AFPPep Guardiola almost lured Lione Messi to Manchester City in 2020[/caption]
AFPFormer Burnley boss asked the City boss about his pursuit of the Argentine during a meeting of Prem bosses[/caption]
AFPGuardiola’s response left former Newcastle and Sunderland boss Steve Bruce in tears[/caption]
Messi was said to have been convinced by his old manager to move to the Etihad but performed a U-turn due to his belief Barca would offer him a new deal.
That deal didn’t end up coming to fruition and he joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer in August 2021 instead.
The prospect of Messi moving to the Prem quickly became the talk of players and managers alike.
And at a Premier League meeting with all the managers present, former Burnley boss Sean Dyche quizzed Guardiola about his pursuit of the footie icon while getting a cup of tea with Bruce.
During an appearance on talkSPORT, he recalled: “I said, ‘What was that thing about Lionel Messi?’
“He (Guardiola) goes, ‘Sean, Steve, I tell you this. Lionel, he said no way can he come to Manchester City.
“Because I tell Lionel it rains. ‘It rains and rains. And when it stops raining, it rains again.’
“Then he goes, ‘Lionel, on a Monday night, you have to go to Burnley, Sean’s team.
PASean Dyche couldn’t fathom the prospect of Lionel Messi turning up at Turf Moor[/caption]
“And they go bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.’ Brucey was crying!”
Dyche, 53, added: “I went, ‘That’s exactly what we’re going to do, Pep You warned him correctly.’
“Me and Brucey were crying, honestly. It was genius. Pep, brilliant.”
The prospect of eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi rocking up at Turf Moor tickled Dyche, who said: “Imagine that.
“His face turning up at Turf Moor going, ‘What on earth? “
“Absolutely smashing it down with rain, wind blowing across and knocking you over.”
Messi spent two seasons with PSG before upping sticks to the MLS to join David Beckham co-owned Inter Miami.
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