Granada Reports Sports Correspondent David Chisnall reports on Guardiola's extraordinary decade-long reign
Manchester City has confirmed that Pep Guardiola will leave the club after ten years in charge.
His decade-long reign at City is one of the most successful managerial spells in English football history, having won 20 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League.
For months, Guardiola - who will go down as one of the finest managers to grace English football - had continued to insist he had "one more year" left on his contract.
But today, Manchester City announced his departure on X, with the caption: "What a time we have had together."
The Catalan became the club's greatest ever signing in 2016, when the most sought-after coach in world football joined as manager.
His possession-based, attacking style of play brought trophies galore at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, and his challenge was to replicate that in English football. But his first season was trophyless and his tactics were questioned.
Doubters were soon proven wrong after Guardiola secured his first silverware at City with a 3-0 win over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final in 2018.
At the time, the manager said: "It's special, Sergio, Vincent and David scoring the three goals. They help us to understand what it means in the club. The people coming here they have to know here you have to win titles."
City went on to win the league title in style with a record 100 points, reaching the century thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Gabriel Jesus at Southampton on the final day.From there, more records were broken as more trophies were lifted.
The following season City became the first English team to do the domestic treble, winning the League Cup, the FA Cup and pipping Liverpool to the Premier League title by a single point.
The battle between Guardiola's City and Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool would became one of the greatest rivalries in English football and define that era of Premier League history. Klopp said at the time: "Pep is the best manager in the world. I know I'm not bad but you asked me about the best and for me he's the best."Guardiola's incredible record saw him guide City to six Premier League titles in seven years.
As the dominant force in England, Guardiola finally conquered Europe with City in 2023. His team beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final in Istanbul to complete a historic treble and match the achievements of Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United side of 1999. Pep said: "It's an honour for me to be alongside Sir Alex Ferguson in that situation.
"I got a message from him this morning in my phone that touched me a lot. You have to win Europe to be considered one of the really good good teams and we did it."
The UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup both followed that year. But for all the success, Guardiola once joked it couldn't make up for the fact that one of his heroes is a fan of City's neighbour.He said: "I have three idols in my life, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Julia Roberts. So Julia Roberts years ago came to Manchester and she went to see Manchester United she didn't come to see us.
"Even if I win the Champions League it will not compare to the fact that Julia Roberts came to Manchester and didn't come to see us."
The trophies continued, as City became the first to win four Premier Leagues in a row between 2021 and 2024. But Guardiola's reign has coincided with many challenges.
It was referred to an independent commission in respect of a series of alleged breaches of rules related to club finances in 2023. The outcome of the investigation is still pending, but City could face a hefty points deduction or even expulsion from the league if found guilty.
After a fourth successive Premier League title in 2024, defeat by Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final meant the Community Shield was their only silverware the following season.
This season, Guardiola bows out with two more trophies after Wembley victories over Arsenal and Chelsea in the League Cup and FA Cup finals, respectively.