Guardiola has officially announced his departure from City, ending a ten-year reign that fundamentally altered the fabric of English football. Since arriving in July 2016, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss has guided the club to an unprecedented era of success, clinching 20 major trophies and establishing himself as the most decorated coach in the club’s history. His final game will be against Aston Villa on Sunday, marking his 593rd match in charge.
Reflecting on his decision, Guardiola offered an emotional farewell to the supporters, stating: “When I arrived, my first interview was with Noel Gallagher. I walked out thinking, ‘Okay… Noel is here? This will be fun.’
"And what a time we have had together. Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it’s my time. Nothing is eternal, if it was, I would be here. Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City.
“This is a city built from work. From graft. You see it in the colour of the bricks. From people who clocked in early, stayed late. The factories. The Pankhursts. The unions. The music. Simply the Industrial Revolution and how this changed the world. And I think I grew to understand that, and my teams did too. We worked. We suffered. We fought. And we did things our own way. Our way. Hard work comes in many forms. Trips to Bournemouth, when we lost the Premier League, and you were there. Trips to Istanbul, when you were there, too.”
More to follow