Farewell Ceremony

After the match, Barca held a farewell ceremony for Guardiola.

All 100,000 fans rose to their feet and sang Guardiola's song.

For them, today was both a joyful and sorrowful day.

They were happy because they had Messi, only twenty-five years old and at the peak of his career.

They were saddened because the turmoil caused by the club changing presidents had led to the departure of the team's legendary manager, Guardiola.

It left them somewhat pessimistic about the team's future.

It would be difficult to find another coach like Guardiola—someone from the La Masia Youth Academy system, familiar with Barca's tactical style, capable of fully exploiting Barca's strengths, developing an entirely new tactical system, and bringing those advantages to their fullest.

Under Guardiola's management, Barca had once achieved the remarkable feat of fielding all eleven players from its own youth academy.

But after Guardiola left, would his successor still place such trust in La Masia Youth Academy players?

Could he still achieve results as brilliant as Guardiola's?

The more they thought about it, the more reluctant they were to let Guardiola go.

The fans waved Barca flags, held up all kinds of pictures bearing Guardiola's image, and loudly sang praises in his honor.

Guardiola walked onto the pitch alone. He raised his head and looked toward the stands, toward this stadium.

Here, he had led the team to glorious achievements and left behind a legend that belonged to them.

But after today, he would no longer belong here.

If he returned here next time, it would most likely be as an opponent.

When that time came, would these lovely fans still welcome him as they did today and cheer for him?

At that moment, the stadium's giant screen began playing highlights of Guardiola's achievements during his four years in charge.

His first league title.

His first Champions League title.

The first historic six-trophy sweep.

On the giant screen, Guardiola celebrated by sliding on his knees after a player scored.

He stood on the touchline directing the match amid pouring rain.

He sprinted and cheered wildly when the team won.

He ran wildly around the pitch after winning his first title.

Before every match, he diligently took notes, studying tactics and his opponents' weaknesses...

In the end, the footage froze on the scene from last season's Champions League triumph, when his players tossed him high into the air.

Filled with emotion, Guardiola accepted the microphone handed to him by a staff member.

He brought it to his lips several times, yet could not bring himself to speak.

He was afraid that the fans and players would hear the catch in his voice the moment he opened his mouth.

This was his home, yet he was about to leave it.

People often said that returning close to home made one feel even more timid, but when a wanderer left his hometown with an uncertain future ahead, what would that feel like?

He took a deep breath, tried hard to compose himself, and said:

"Here, I would like to thank everyone!"

"Especially those around me—the players, the coaching staff, and the club staff."

"I also want to thank the fans who supported us. We may not have been that close, but every day, I could feel your support."

"You know I will miss you. To have your support as I leave Camp Nou makes me deeply moved!"

The fans waved banners and signs supporting and thanking Guardiola, offering him applause and blessings.

"As for the reasons for my departure, I have spoken about them many times on different occasions, but I think I still need to explain them to you once more here."

"During these four years coaching Barca, we achieved very good results, but throughout that time, my work pressure was enormous, and I was never able to properly spend time with my family.

Here, I want to apologize to them. I promise that over the coming period, I will spend proper time with my family!"

Guardiola looked toward the players' tunnel, where his girlfriend Cristina Serra stood with four children, smiling at him.

Lin Quan was among them as well!

Yes, the couple who had adopted Lin Quan back then were Guardiola and Sera.

Though he was not their biological son, Guardiola and Sera had always treated Lin Quan as their own, never favoring him less than their other three children.

Guardiola waved at them, and Sera immediately led the four children toward him.

"You've worked hard, Pep. Now we can finally start our vacation!"

Smiling, Sera embraced her lover. She could see that Guardiola was feeling somewhat down, so she tried to use the prospect of a vacation to distract him.

"Thank you, Cristina. I'm sorry that all these years, I was never able to properly spend time with you and the children!"

Guardiola felt somewhat guilty and sincerely apologized again.

"You don't need to apologize. If you truly feel you owe us, why not show it through your actions?"

"Mm, that's a good suggestion. I'll consider it!"

Guardiola thought about marriage. He felt it was time to bring this long romance to an end.

When it was Lin Quan's turn, Guardiola took the initiative to hug him, firmly patting his shoulder as he said:

"Lin, you're already sixteen. It's time to start thinking about your future career plans. Do you have any ideas?"

Lin Quan thought seriously for a while before answering:

"I plan to keep training properly at Barca, then find a team to join on loan or through a transfer!"

"You want to leave Barca?"

Guardiola was somewhat surprised by Lin Quan's idea.

Players who came through the La Masia Youth Academy rarely wanted to leave Barca of their own accord.

But from the look of it, Lin Quan did not seem to have particularly deep feelings for Barca.

Could it be that Guardiola's strained relationship with the club and decision to resign had affected him?

"Yes. Barca's first team is packed with talent, and I don't have many opportunities here, so I have no choice but to leave!"

That was what Lin Quan said aloud, but what he truly thought was that Barca was not worth staying for.

Judging by how Barca had forced Messi out at the very end of the transfer window ten years later, this club had no human warmth at all.

They had humiliated and driven out a legendary player who had served the team for twenty-one years, scored more than six hundred goals, and led the team to countless honors, doing so in such a coldhearted manner that was practically a cruel joke.

Only an idiot would be willing to stay at a club like that!

Guardiola thought about it. Barca's midfield was indeed packed with talent.

Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, and the others were all at their peaks and immensely capable.

Young players probably truly could not compete with them. While he had been Head Coach, he had planned to develop Lin Quan as Xavi's successor.

To that end, he had even given him the number four shirt for the youth team—the same shirt Guardiola himself had worn during his days at Barca.

But after he left, he had no idea how Barca's tactical approach would change.

Every coach had his own ideas. Some liked to place their trust in players from their own youth academy, while others preferred buying established players from elsewhere.

So the development plan he had previously made for Lin Quan might no longer work.

"All right, I respect your choice. We'll have a good talk after we get back!"

Lin Quan nodded. Guardiola was currently one of the hottest legendary coaches on the planet.

He would certainly have to consider Guardiola's advice.

After embracing his family, colleagues, and the team's players one by one,

Guardiola quickly left the stadium as the club staff lined up to see him off.

From that moment onward, the connection between Guardiola and Barca was severed.

Many people, including the fans and the club executives, believed this was only a temporary parting.

Once the club changed presidents and the conflict between Guardiola and the club eased, he would return.

But no one expected that this farewell would be forever.

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