Pep Guardiola doc coming to BBC
January 22, 2024
A documentary and accompanying podcast series will offers a deep dive into football manager Pep Guardiola’s relentless pursuit of perfection, and the methods and motivations that have led him to leave a lasting imprint on the beautiful game.
The series will feature interviews from Pep’s inner circle, including friends, former colleagues and players – such as Mikel Arteta, Txiki Bergeristan, Carles Puyol, Ilkay Gundogan, Kyle Walker and Phil Foden. Audiences can uncover Guardiola’s journey from a small-town in Catalonia to the Camp Nou, and the importance of his pivotal relationship with managerial guru Johan Cruyff.
Spanish World Cup winner Carles Puyol lifts the lid on Guardiola’s innovative approach to managing Barcelona’s first team, whilst disclosing how he dealt with the pressures of an intense rivalry with Jose Mourinho.
After his departure from Barca, Guardiola’s closest confidants discuss his constant search for self-improvement and a New York sabbatical that led to his Bayern Munich appointment. Star players Robert Lewandowski and Manuel Neuer reveal the leadership challenges Guardiola faced as he strove to apply his football philosophy to a club steeped in history.
Current Manchester City players Foden and Walker bring to life Guardiola’s relentless work ethic, whilst musician Noel Gallagher reflects on how Guardiola took the club from a fourth place finish to a 100 point title-winning season in the space of the year.
From his humble beginnings as boss of Barcelona B, to his crowning moment in the 2023 Champions League, this documentary charts Guardiola’s transcendent managerial journey across Europe’s top leagues.
Audiences can watch Pep Guardiola: Chasing Perfection on BBC One and iPlayer at 10.40pm on January 24th. Listeners can delve deeper with an accompanying four-part podcast series on BBC Sounds, presented by Steve Crossman and Guillem Balague by searching ‘Sporting Giants’.