Champions League semifinal: Barcelona v Bayern Munich

2:45am Thursday (Beijing Time)

FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi from Argentina, right, chats with then coach Pep Guardiola after he scored against Athletic Bilbao during their Spanish La Liga soccer match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain in this April 03, 2010 file photo. [Photo/IC]

What scene can be more dramatic than Pep Guardiola back at the Camp Nou for the first time as an adversary?

Barca fans will have mixed feelings when they welcome their former hero to the stadium, the Cules' mecca, where they saw Guardiola as a masterly maverick in midfield as their beloved No. 4, celebrate passionately with his all-winning formation as coach and wave goodbye to an emotional crowd holding up a giant banner saying "T'estimem Pep".

It is impossible to measure the Catalan's feelings for his hometown club where he spent the prime time of his playing career and led it to all the honors to be won as coach in a golden four-year stint that ended in 2012 .

Despite his previous attachment to Barca, the current Bayern Munich coach is known for his professionalism, meaning the German side will show no mercy.

The soccer world is already buzzing about how and whether Guardiola will be able to stop his former favorite Lionel Messi, whom he couldn't help but applaud when watching the Argentine nutmeg Manchester City defenders at Camp Nou, at a reunion with other former protégés of his "dream team" remaining in Luis Enrique's system such as Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Dani Alves.

The conflict between past and present is set to make Guardiola the talk of the town.