Manchester City manager Guardiola tried to beat former club Barca to Neymar's signing when he was leaving Santos as a youngster.
Neymar recalled to the Podpah podcast: "I almost went to Bayern.. because of Pep Guardiola.
"After winning the Puskas Prize (rewarding the most beautiful goal, scored in 2012), my father asked me if I was awake at 2am. I answered him, he said to open the door.. It was in underpants. It’was my father, Pep Guardiola and the translator."
And he added: "Pep says: ‘I want to sign you and take you with me, whatever the club it is. I will make you the best player in the world’.
"He shows me a paper, opens his laptop, tells me where I would play. He also told me: 'if you don't score 60 goals in a season, I will change my name’.
"I said.. thank-you, but which team? Pep then says: ‘I can't tell you yet because this is not, it is not yet out’.
"He then says: ‘I sign with Bayern. I know it’was a city where it's cold but I will take care of you’. Finally, I decided to join Barcelona."