Barcelona’s EuroLeague clash with Olympiacos was supposed to be about the action on the court. But the biggest roar of the night at the Palau Blaugrana came from the stands — when the crowd spotted Pep Guardiola watching on, the whole arena rose to its feet for a club legend.
The former Barcelona and Manchester City manager was in attendance for Barcelona’s EuroLeague basketball match against Olympiacos, and midway through the night the crowd finally clocked him. The arena erupted into a standing ovation as the big screen picked him out, with Guardiola getting to his feet, grinning and saluting the supporters who had filled the building.
Pep Guardiola (Credits: BBC Sport)
A Night That Wasn’t About Football
Few figures command that kind of reception in Barcelona. Guardiola starred for the club as a player before managing the side to its greatest modern era, and the bond between him and the Blaugrana supporters remains as strong as ever. His surprise appearance at the basketball arena turned a regular EuroLeague round into a celebration of one of the club’s most beloved sons.
He wasn’t the only big name in the building either. Former Barcelona star Jan Vesely, who left the club at the end of last season, also returned to watch his old club in action.
The Game Itself Delivered Too
On the court, the night didn’t go Barcelona’s way. Olympiacos edged out a 105-100 overtime victory in a Round 6 thriller, powered by a season-high performance from reigning EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov, who posted 25 points and earned MVP of the Round honors.
But for the fans inside the Palau Blaugrana, the lasting memory of the evening was the moment the spotlight found Guardiola — a reminder that some legends never stop being part of the club’s story.
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Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.