Bayern coach Guardiola visits ailing mentor Cruyff in Barcelona

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola took advantage of a rare weekend off to fly back to his native Barcelona to visit sick mentor Johan Cruyff.

The 68-year-old Dutch legend is suffering from lung cancer and was Guardiola's coach at Barcelona during his playing career.

According to Catalan sports daily Sport, Guardiola flew to Spain to meet Cruyff in Osona, near Barcelona, after Bayern's goalless draw with Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday.

It was the first time the pair have met since Cruyff announced his battle with cancer last month.

Guardiola, 44, has often referred to Cruyff as one of the main influences during his career both as a player and latterly as Barcelona's most successful ever coach.

"Cruyff built the cathedral. We only maintained it," Guardiola once said about the former Ajax and Barcelona playmaker.

Guardiola was part of Cruyff's "Dream Team", which won a string of titles in the early 1990s.

The Dutchman also established Barcelona's La Masia youth training centre where youngsters are drilled in the fine arts of the passing and possession game that define the club.

Source: AFP