▁birth day , ▁he ▁led ▁his ▁side ▁to ▁a ▁ 2 – 1 ▁victory ▁over ▁arch - rival s ▁Real ▁Madrid ▁in ▁El ▁Cl ás ico , ▁ens uring ▁that ▁he ▁remained ▁un be aten ▁against ▁Real ▁Madrid ▁in ▁regular ▁time ▁as ▁a ▁manager . ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁April , ▁Guard i ola ▁conced ed ▁the ▁league ▁title ▁to ▁leaders ▁Real ▁Madrid ▁after ▁they ▁beat ▁Barcelona ▁ 2 – 1 ▁and ▁extended ▁their ▁lead ▁in ▁the ▁table ▁to ▁seven ▁points ▁with ▁four ▁matches ▁remaining . ▁" We ▁have ▁to ▁con gr at ulate ▁Madrid ▁for ▁their ▁win ▁and ▁the ▁title ▁that ▁they ▁have ▁also ▁won ▁ton ight ," ▁said ▁Guard i ola , ▁after ▁what ▁was ▁his ▁side ' s ▁first ▁loss ▁at ▁home ▁all ▁season . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 4 ▁April , ▁a ▁ 2 – 2 ▁draw ▁at ▁home ▁against ▁Ch else a ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁leg ▁of ▁the ▁Champions ▁League ▁semif inal ▁knock ed ▁Barcelona ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁competition ▁on ▁a ▁ 2 – 3 ▁aggregate ▁score . ▁That ▁effectively ▁left ▁the ▁team ▁with ▁only ▁the ▁Copa ▁del ▁Rey ▁to ▁play ▁for . ▁Guard i ola ▁had ▁faced ▁criticism ▁over ▁his ▁recent ▁tact ics ▁and ▁squad ▁se lections . ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁he ▁announced ▁he ▁would ▁step ▁down ▁as ▁Barcelona ' s ▁coach ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 – 1 2 ▁season . ▁He ▁had ▁been ▁on ▁a ▁rolling ▁contract ▁that ▁was ▁renew ed ▁ann