'A big lie' - Barcelona sporting director makes sensational claim about Pep Guardiola

Barcelona sporting director Deco has hit back at claims that Pep Guardiola revolutionised the club during his four-year tenure as manager.

Guardiola was promoted to manager of Barca's senior side in the summer of 2008 after a fine 2007/08 season in charge of their B team, replacing Frank Rijkaard in the Camp Nou dugout.

In Guardiola's first season, Barcelona became the first Spanish club to win the treble, emerging victorious in La Liga, the UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey. Over his final three seasons, Barcelona would win another Champions League, La Liga twice more, another Copa del Rey, two FIFA Club World Cups, two UEFA Super Cups and three successive Supercopa de Espana.

Barcelona from 2008 to 2012 are widely recognised as one of the very best teams of all time, but in an interview with La Vanguardia, current sporting director Deco - who was one of the first players sold by Guardiola - did not see his work as revolutionary despite crediting his success.

"When he [Guardiola] arrived at Barcelona, it's talked about as a great revolution, which is a big lie," Deco said.

"Ronaldinho and I left, but he had Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta, [Sergio] Busquets was promoted, Yaya Toure, the best player in Africa, [Lionel] Messi, of course, Samuel Eto'o...

"Guardiola was intelligent, and when he arrived, he put discipline in place and his quality as a manager into it, and went on to build the best team I have ever seen in my life. And he was smart, he knew not to waste time on other things."

Guardiola has since gone on to enjoy huge success with Bayern Munich and current club Manchester City, winning a staggering 37 trophies so far in his illustrious career.

Barca, meanwhile, have won only one Champions League since Guardiola's departure, with Luis Enrique leading them to their latest European triumph in 2015.

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