Josep Pedrerol's column: Congrats Pep, you deserve it

Pep Guardiola is a born worker, one of those who gets up, goes to bed and dreams about football. He is insatiable, extremely methodical, obsessive, and of course leaves nothing to chance. He controls absolutely everything, from the food to the players' rest to the part he enjoys and masters the most, tactical concepts. Without a doubt, he deserved this Champions League more than anyone else. His Champions League. Neither Rodri's, nor Haaland's. He was the one who made it possible to beat his bête noire, Real Madrid, in a terrible second leg for Ancelotti's side. He got rid of the thorn that was hurting him so much and opened the path to the trophy he so longed for, even if it was hard for him to confess it.

He is the one who has been able to take the other Manchester team, the ugly duckling, to the European glory that has cost him so much time and millions. And he has done it by applying the intelligence that characterises him. Pep is no longer the one with the non-negotiable style. Now he is the one who values effectiveness, the coach who has learned from defeats, the one who has understood that there is not just one style of football.

Pep knows and recognises that Ancelotti is a great coach. He even knows that Simeone, his opposite number in terms of the way he approaches a football match, is also a great coach. He has finally realised that it is Guardiola who has to adapt to the players and not the other way around. His gifted pupil Xavi has gone through the same process, but much more quickly.

When he was coaching in Qatar, possession, relentless attack, open wingers and other classic concepts were indispensable. Winning any other way was almost an insult. The how prevailed over the result, but in the end he won La Liga by being the king of the 1-0. And all Cules celebrated it.

Pep innovated when he arrived at Barça, evolved the Cruyff style to improve it by far with the supreme version of Messi, Xavi and Iniesta and built the best Barça in history. Twelve years later, he has won the Champions League again thanks, in large part, to a change of style. Winning the final in Istanbul was not an illusion, it was an obligation. It had to be achieved in any way. Congratulations Pep. Enjoy it.