Guardiola played for Brescia and gave an interview to Italian TV on the weekend.
He recalled, “The first time I saw Mazzone, I was in the stands when he ran towards the Atalanta fans. He was a real old-school coach, all instinct. This is life, if I hadn’t gone to Brescia, I would not have known Mazzone.
“Places are beautiful, but what you really remember are the people you encounter.”
He added, “I was accustomed to winning league titles, but at Brescia it was a celebration every time we won a game. I don’t regret it at all, I got to know a situation I was not familiar with and it was one of the best periods of my life.
“I thought Roby Baggio was a very serious person, but really he was the life and soul of the locker room. It was a really strong team.”