No deadline for Guardiola extension

Posted Monday, February 20, 2012 by ESPN

Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola's contract expires over the summer, but the club has insisted that both parties have time to sort things out.

Despite Los Cules' supporters growing increasingly fearful of over the manager's departure, the Catalan side's management team remain unruffled by the situation. The club's sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta told Canal Plus that Barcelona will afford Guardiola as much time as he requires in considering a contract extension.

"Pep knows he has all the confidence of the club and the team, he's asked for time and that is not a problem. We have given him no deadline - and nor will we; he has our trust." he shared.

"Every year that he has renewed, he needed time to feel it."

Zubizarreta also revealed the manager's preference for single year agreements, indicating that the club do not find such an arrangment a hassle.

"He is a coach who lives better with the pressure of a one-year contract. Each has its own style. That type of contract is fine with us." he stated.

Pep Guardiola has led Barcelona to glory thirteen times since taking over in 2008. Despite qualifying for the finals of the Copa del Rey and staying in the running to win the Champions League, the team trail Real Madrid by ten points in domestic competition this season. Guardiola will be aiming for a win to keep the pressure up on their rivals, when Barcelona host Sporting Gijon this weekend.