On video: Guardiola steals the spotlight from Barcelona's stars on European basketball night | Goal.com
Barcelona's EuroLeague meeting with Olympiacos was supposed to be the story. Instead, a packed Palau Blaugrana turned its attention to the stands, where club legend Pep Guardiola was watching on.
Blaugrana supporters had filled the arena to roar their side on against the Greek champions, and the turnout was exceptional. The surprise, though, came off the court: the man who starred for and then managed Barcelona, now in charge at Manchester City, had come along to watch.
Midway through the second quarter, a section of the crowd finally clocked him. The arena erupted. "Pep.. Pep Guardiola" rang round the stands.
Eventually the noise grew so hysterical that the former Barcelona player and coach had to get to his feet. He stood there grinning, arms raised in salute, blowing kisses into the air. Social media did the rest.
BET
LaLiga
17 Oct 2026
BAR
Guardiola wasn't the only big name in the building. Czech star Jan Vesely, who left Barcelona at the end of last season because of a knee injury, also turned up, unwilling to miss a thriller involving his old club.
Few have done more in European basketball. Vesely wrapped up an exceptional career with the EuroLeague title in 2017 at Turkey's Fenerbahce under legendary coach Zeljko Obradovic, and he was named the competition's MVP in 2018-2019.
The numbers back it up. Across 15 EuroLeague seasons, Vesely played 414 games and retired holding the record for the most two-point shots in the competition's history (1701), the fourth-highest efficiency rating (5481), the sixth-highest points total (4359) and the third-highest number of rebounds (1906).
Speaking to "Movistar" during the game, Vesely reflected on life after retirement: "Life is wonderful now. I enjoy my time with my family, I have more free time, and I don't travel much. I miss the past, but I think I made the best decision. The timing was right. I still live in Barcelona."
Lesen Sie die Originalnachricht
William Hill
Bonus für Neukunden bis zu 100€
William Hill Bonus für Neukunden aus Deutschl...
William Hill Bonus für Neukunden aus Deutschland, Österreich und aus der Schweiz...
