Putting the Pep in the step of Barcelona

PEP GUARDIOLA is an intellectual. He has mates in football. He is godfather, for example, to one of Luís Figo’s daughters.

Many of his best friends, however, are novelists. He is bookish. This leaves him open to lampooning in the laddish world of football.

There is a satirical show on Catalan TV called Crackòvia. In it, he is often depicted wandering into Barcelona’s team dressing room immersed in a book of poetry, the sight of which sends his players scampering for cover.