Guardiola extends contract with Barcelona

Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola, who has led the club to seven trophies in two seasons, will sign a one-year contract extension on Wednesday, the Spanish champions revealed.

“The expected announcement of Guardiola?s continued presence on the bench is a reality,” said the club in a statement posted on their website.

Guardiola’s contract expired on June 30 but the 39-year-old agreed in January to extend it by one season while Joan Laporta was still the president of the club.

Barcelona’s new president, Sandro Rosell, said shortly after he was elected on June 13 that he would try to get Guardiola to sign a six-year contract extension.

The lack of a written contract fuelled media speculation at the end of last season that the coach could leave the Catalan giants.

Guardiola, a former Barcelona midfielder, took charge of the club in June 2008 following a spell as boss of their B team.

Under his watch Barcelona won two successive La Liga crowns, in 2009 and 2010, as well as the 2009 Champions League.