▁the ▁Catal an ▁club ▁that ▁extended ▁his ▁stay ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁ ▁Guard i ola ▁returned ▁to ▁action ▁the ▁following ▁season ▁and ▁Barcelona ▁once ▁again ▁won ▁La ▁Liga , ▁thanks ▁largely ▁to ▁the ▁performances ▁of ▁R ival do ▁and ▁Lu ís ▁Fig o . ▁On ▁ 8 ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁Guard i ola ▁under w ent ▁surg ery ▁to ▁try ▁to ▁resolve ▁his ▁ling ering ▁cal f ▁injury , ▁which ▁had ▁caused ▁him ▁to ▁miss ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁FIFA ▁World ▁Cup ▁for ▁Spain . ▁A ▁largely ▁disappoint ing ▁ 1 9 9 9 – 2 0 0 0 ▁season ▁again ▁ended ▁in ▁surg ery , ▁with ▁Guard i ola ▁missing ▁the ▁last ▁three ▁months ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁a ▁serious ▁an k le ▁injury . ▁Barcelona ▁didn ' t ▁win ▁any ▁silver ware ▁during ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 – 0 1 ▁season ▁and ▁finished ▁fourth ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁league ; ▁non eth eless , ▁they ▁qualified ▁for ▁the ▁Champions ▁League . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 1 ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁Barcelona ' s ▁captain ▁announced ▁his ▁intention ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁club ▁after ▁ 1 7 ▁years ▁of ▁service . ▁He ▁stated ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁personal ▁decision ▁and , ▁in ▁part , ▁a ▁response ▁to ▁what ▁he ▁perce ived ▁as ▁football ▁heading ▁in ▁a ▁new , ▁more ▁physical , ▁direction . ▁On ▁ 2 4 ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁Guard i ola ▁played ▁his