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Guardiola was unimpressed the first time he met Messi. Then everything changed.

Pep Guardiola has recently spoken about meeting Lionel Messi for the first time. The Manchester City boss took over as Barcelona coach in 2008.

Guardiola, speaking to Catalunya Ràdio, recalled meeting the Argentine in his early days at Barça.

“They had told me, in the academy there is an exceptionally talented kid. They told me he was very small, but he gave you lots of goals and he dribbled very well. I did not know him, and one day I saw him with his father in a Nike shop in El Prat.