Pep Guardiola: I know Leo Messi will try to come back to Barca

Manchester City drew against Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals. Pep Guardiola's side equalised with a great goal from Kevin de Bruyne after Real went ahead through Vinicius.

Now, ESPN have released an interview with the Catalan coach where he opens up about Leo Messi and his possible departure from FC Barcelona.

Guardiola said: "Everything won by Barcelona would have been impossible without Messi. I'm not talking about numbers, I'm talking about impact, aesthetics, effectiveness... everything."

In addition, the coach from Santpedor has indicated how he would like Messi's farewell to be: "I'm a socio of Barcelona, I have two homes. I just hope we can say goodbye to him as he deserves from this place. He has been the greatest player of all time."

Guardiola continued: "Nobody would have thought it would have ended this way. President Laporta, who I know how highly he regards him, was talking about having a farewell like such a great personality has to have, because Messi has helped make the club much bigger than it was. Messi has made the club much bigger than when he took it over. And that's why, when a person makes a club so great, you have to send people off well."

Finally, Guardiola gave his opinion on the departure of the Argentine star. "His departure was a very quick thing, because of a difficult situation, economically, for a thousand reasons that I couldn't go into and that those who are there know and I don't know. I only hope that one day he can come back. I only know that Jan (Laporta) is going to try to do it and Leo too and he and his family are going to receive the love, affection and gratitude that all the people of Barcelona are going to give him for everything he has given to this club."