Guardiola signs up for new campaign
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
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FC Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola has put pen to paper on the new one-year contract he promised to sign in January as he seeks to live up to his successful first two seasons in charge.
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Josep Guardiola will lead FC Barcelona's UEFA Champions League challenge for a third successive season after the former midfielder agreed to remain in charge at Camp Nou until 30 June 2011.
The 39-year-old had given a verbal assurance that he would stay at the club last January, and he chose Wednesday to officially put pen to paper in front of new president Sandro Rosell. Guardiola already has plenty to live up to having earned Liga titles in both campaigns at the helm, alongside 2009 victories in the Copa del Rey, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
His place in Barcelona history was cemented during a playing stint at Camp Nou spanning more than a decade, during which time the 1992 Olympic gold medallist made 472 appearances and won six league championships along with European Champion Clubs' Cup, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and UEFA Super Cup honours. Spells with Brescia Calcio, AS Roma, Qatar's Al Ahli and Mexico's CSyD Dorados de Sinaloa followed. Guardiola returned to Barcelona in 2007 to coach Barcelona B, achieving promotion in his first term, before succeeding Frank Rijkaard as head coach. Barça begin the 2010/11 UEFA Champions League in the group stage.
