Amazing picture of 15-year-old Pep Guardiola with Terry Venables goes viral after legendary manager’s death aged 80
FOOTBALL fans were moved as an old picture of the late great Terry Venables and Pep Guardiola emerged.
Former England manager Venables died this weekend at the age of 80 following a long illness and tributes poured from all around the world.
People remembered El Tel with various blasts from the past and one of them had to do with his three-year stint as Barcelona manager.
A photo went viral showing the Dagenham legend being hoisted up by Barca heroes Paco Clos and Migueli.
That was when Venables led the Blaugrana to the 1986 European Cup Final by beating Goteborg in a dramatic semi-final second leg that saw him winning 5-4 on penalties after a 3-0 win at the Nou Camp.
But what makes this pic so special is the fact that a 15-year-old Guardiola, who was then part of the famous La Masia academy, can be seen celebrating in awe of the Tottenham legend.
The Manchester City boss is a Barcelona legend himself as he started out at the club at the tender age of 13 and went on to spend 11 years in the senior squad, most of which saw him wear the armband.
And Gary Neville believes the Spanish tactician learned a lot during Venables’ brief stint in Catalonia as he insists they both had a “very same capability”.
Neville played under the ex-Leeds boss for England and was part of the team that made it to the Euro 1996 semi-finals.
Neville tweeted: “When we hear people that play for Pep Guardiola now say that he can call the outcome of a game in training a few days before the match arrives, Terry Venables had that very same capability, he’d come through the Barcelona system.”
Venables didn’t win the European Cup in 1986 as Barcelona lost 2-0 to Steaua Bucharest in the final.
However, the former Crystal Palace boss won a domestic Cup that year and LaLiga the season before.
Barcelona issued the following statement and reached out to his family: “FC Barcelona is deeply saddened of the death of Terry Venables, coach of Barca from 1984 to 1987. Our condolences go to his loved ones. Rest in peace.”