FCBARCELONA.CAT

20.01.2009 12:27

Barça’s best ever new coach

Marc Gullén

Josep Guardiola has won 25 of his first 31 games in charge of Barcelona, meaning he has made the best start ever to a managerial career at the club, even beating the legendary Johan Cruyff.

25 wins are testimony of the amazing start to Josep Guardiola’s first ever season in charge. , with no manager ever managing a quarter of a century of wins in such a short space of time. He has only failed to win six official games so far, 3 draws and 3 defeats.

Cruyff beaten

Dutchman Johan Cruyff started managing Barça in the summer of 1988. In his first season, he took 38 games to make it to 25 wins, seven more than Guardiola. Other than the 25 wins, Cruyff also drew nine matches and lost four.

Van Gaal’s League much slower

Louis Van Gaal won the 1997/98 league title for Barça, but despite such a good start, it had nothing on what Guardiola has achieved. The Dutchman took 41 games to make it to 25 wins, having drawn six and lost ten games.

Not even with Ronaldo

The 1996/97 season will be remembered for the amazing performances by Ronaldo under new manager Bobby Robson. The Englishman took 42 games to make it to 25 wins, having drawn 10 and lost 7.

Irregular start for Rijkaard

But what really matters is winning titles, rather than making good starts. That was never clearer than in the case of Frank Rijkaard, whose debut year in 2003/04 got off to a poor start, and it was not until his 42nd game that he could claim to have won 25 matches.