▁ ▁Guard i ola ▁was ▁a ▁def ensive ▁mid f iel der ▁who ▁usually ▁played ▁in ▁a ▁deep - lying ▁play maker ' s ▁role . ▁He ▁spent ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁his ▁career ▁with ▁Barcelona , ▁forming ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁Johan ▁Cru y ff ' s ▁Dream ▁Team ▁that ▁won ▁the ▁club ' s ▁first ▁European ▁Cup ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁and ▁four ▁success ive ▁Spanish ▁league ▁titles ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁He ▁later ▁capt ained ▁the ▁team ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁until ▁his ▁departure ▁from ▁the ▁club ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁After ▁leaving ▁Barcelona , ▁Guard i ola ▁had ▁st ints ▁with ▁Bres cia ▁and ▁Roma ▁in ▁Italy , ▁Al - Ah li ▁in ▁Q atar , ▁and ▁Dor ados ▁de ▁S inal oa ▁in ▁Mexico . ▁He ▁was ▁c apped ▁ 4 7 ▁times ▁for ▁the ▁Spanish ▁national ▁team ▁and ▁appeared ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁FIFA ▁World ▁Cup , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁at ▁UEFA ▁Euro ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁He ▁also ▁played ▁friendly ▁matches ▁for ▁Catal onia . ▁ ▁After ▁ret iring ▁as ▁a ▁player , ▁Guard i ola ▁briefly ▁co ached ▁Barcelona ▁B , ▁with ▁whom ▁he ▁won ▁a ▁Ter cera ▁División ▁title , ▁and ▁assumed ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁first - team ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁In ▁his ▁first ▁season ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁team ▁manager , ▁he ▁gu ided ▁Barcelona ▁to ▁the ▁tre ble ▁of