Joan Laporta believed in the power of surprise when he helped to “change the history” of Barcelona by giving Pep Guardiola his big break, and has thrown his backing behind Thierry Henry’s desire to revive Arsenal.

Henry admitted last weekend that he would be interested in succeeding Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, with the Gunners set to review their manager’s position at the end of the season.

A second defeat to Guardiola’s Manchester City in the space of five days at the Emirates on Thursday night would place more pressure on Wenger and Laporta believes Arsenal must be innovative if they decide to make a change in the summer.

It was in January 2008 over lunch that former Barcelona president Laporta told Guardiola that he would be replacing Frank Rijkaard at the end of that season, despite the fact that, at the time, he had only six months’ coaching experience under his belt with the club’s B team.

Henry has completed the Uefa Pro Licence and is one of Roberto Martinez’s assistants with the Belgian national team that was the first European side to qualify for the World Cup.

Therri Henry is one of Roberto Martinez’s assistants with Belgium credit: AFP

Laporta is of the opinion that there are a small number of ex-players, including Henry, Guardiola and Johan Cruyff, who are capable of being fast-tracked into the top jobs.

“The same requirements we were appreciating in Pep Guardiola when we decided to put him as a coach of the first team, Thierry has many of them,” said Laporta, who signed Henry for Barcelona from Arsenal in 2007. “I know that Thierry loves Arsenal, he loves them. He is a gentleman and a very serious guy, and a very responsible guy.

“If he wants to become a coach and more specifically wants to coach Arsenal, then it is because he is convinced he will do it very well because he is looking for excellence all the time – just as when he was a player.

“He knows football, as one of the best players in the world. These kinds of people, like Pep Guardiola and Johan Cruyff, they know very well football. They don’t need the extended period maybe that other coaches need to be a great coach. He knows Arsenal, the supporters, the club and he’s a guy that deserves everything he would like to achieve. I believe he could be a very good coach. For him, with his reputation, it’s not acceptable to fail.”

Pep Guardiola brought enormous success to Barcelona credit: AFP

Laporta ignored pressure to appoint Jose Mourinho by handing Guardiola his opportunity and, recalling the lunch date in Barcelona that effectively launched one of football’s most successful careers, said: “We had our first conversation with Pep in January that year. We thought that Frank Rijkaard should finish the season and that Pep could be involved in the first-team staff. But he told me that he would prefer to continue with the second team because he was so sure that they would get the championship.

“So we agreed that he would finish the season with the second team and then be the coach of the first team. I told him ‘Pep, we are sure it’s a good decision’, and he told me, ‘I believe you are right because we will win everything’. He said this joking, but you know at the end of his first season we had won everything - it was the perfect season.

“There were other options and some people, especially the media, were pushing for them, but we were focussed on Pep Guardiola. I had the responsibility to manage Football Club Barcelona and sometimes you need to surprise to change the history. Thanks to Pep, we did it.

Pep Guardiola won the League Cup by beating Arsenal credit: PA

“I don’t know the structure of Arsenal, to know exactly what they want, but Thierry is a very intelligent guy. These people, the guys who have been great players of a club, they could be involved in the management on different levels. Thierry could be anything he likes - a coach, a director or maybe president of Arsenal. These people will always be linked to their club. Arsenal maybe need something fresh and innovative, with Thierry involved.

“It’s always been my opinion that Football Club Barcelona should produce players, but, at the same time, we should produce coaches for our first team in order to maintain our style. That’s an advantage Thierry would have with Arsenal over many other coaches.”

Laporta, who is still a lawyer specialising in corporate and international law from his offices in Barcelona, has developed affection for City since Guardiola’s appointment – even though the 55 year-old now rates the Premier League leaders as the biggest threat to the La Liga club.

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“The way Man City play, they have the stamp of Pep Guardiola, the way he understands football, very similar to Football Club Barcelona,” said Laporta. “The Man City fans can be very proud of what is happening because I am sure they are enjoying football in the stadium and it’s a pleasure, it’s wonderful to watch Man City on television from Barcelona.

“They play very, very good football and probably they will win the Premier League, practically sure. But the most important thing for me is the way they play. This style to control the ball, control the game and they have very good players. They will be successful this season in many championships.

“In my opinion, they are the biggest rivals to Football Club Barcelona. As a Barca fan, you must understand I still think Football Club Barcelona are still the best team in the world. But in the Champions League, Man City are their biggest rival now and, looking at their football, they are the two clubs I like to watch.”