Eight seasons after his Lyon side played Barcelona in the Champions League, Saints boss Claude Puel is looking forward to pitting his wits against Pep Guardiola again.

Puel was midway through the first of his three seasons as manager of Lyon and Guardiola at the beginning of his stellar managerial career at the Nou Camp when their teams drew each other in the last 16 of the 2008/09 Champions League.

After taking a break from preparations for Sunday’s Premier League game against Guardiola’s Manchester City, Puel cast his mind back to that two-legged tie in February 2009.

Barcelona won it 6-3 on aggregate and went on to beat Manchester United 2-0 in the final. 

A second-half Thierry Henry equaliser secured a 1-1 draw in Lyon.
Henry netted another two and Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto’o also scored in a 5-2 win at the Nou Camp.

Puel remembers it well.

“It was the start of his career but it was a fantastic performance with a good combination," he said. 

"It was not possible for us to play Barcelona.

“The technical skills of the players and their recovery of the ball was fantastic.

"These possibilities can be the difference because they can play high up the pitch.

“The following seasons Barcelona were even better. He changed the philosophy of their play.”

Puel believes Guardiola can be as successful with City as he was with Barcelona.

“For the moment Manchester are not at the same level as Barcelona because all this work takes time,” he said.

“But he hasn’t changed his philosophy and it’s a pleasure to see his team. For me they can win the championship because they have the best collective and best quality in the Premier League.”

City are without a win in four games and Guardiola is in the middle of his first difficult spell since his arrival at the Etihad, following his controversial dropping of Sergio Aguero and the 4-0 defeat against Barcelona on his return to the Nou Camp on Wednesday night.

It would seem to be a good time to be playing City, but Puel is reluctant to say so, citing the reports of the turmoil at Inter Milan before Saints' Europa League defeat in the San Siro.

“It was the same before our game against Inter,” he said. “They also had problems.”

Puel  was an interested observer of City’s defeat at the Nou Camp.

“I think Manchester play a good game, a good style against Barcelona,” he continued.

“For me there was no big difference between the two teams - just one player. Messi made the difference.

“I saw a very good team, a good style of play with quality, a good collective and good players.”