I AM BACK FOR MORE ...THE REST IS HISTORY!

Fully recharged after a relaxing summer, City boss Pep admits: It's good to have a break, so you're ready to work even harder

- SIMON MULLOCK

AN EMOTIONAL reunion Barcelona with the reserve team that secured Pep Guardiola the first trophy of his coaching career has helped to revitalise the Manchester City manager.

Guardiola has revealed how a dinner date with a group of former players, which included Champions League winners Carles Puyol, Victor Vazquez and Pedro, after he had guided City to a fourth consecutive Premier League title helped to refocus his mind.

He also took in the NBA finals, Wimbledon, the Euros and the Olympic Games.

Guardiola, 53, had admitted at the end of last season that he was feeling the strain of his eight years at the Etihad and would be contemplating his future as the clock started to tick on the final 12 months of his contract. But it was linking back up with the academy team he guided to the Spanish third division title in his first season as a coach in 2008 that gave the Catalan a timely reminder of what he has achieved and what might be possible in the future.