May 22 – Pep Guardiola has confirmed he will leave Manchester City at the end of the season, bringing the curtain down on one of the most successful managerial eras English football has ever seen.
The Spaniard will step away following Sunday’s final Premier League fixture against Aston Villa, despite still having a year remaining on his contract. City have already lined up former assistant and ex-Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca as his expected successor.
“What a time we have had together,” Guardiola said. “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.”
The 55-year-old informed players of his decision on Monday night after reports of his departure emerged. His final season will still end with silverware after City lifted both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, although hopes of another Premier League title disappeared following Tuesday’s draw away at Bournemouth, handing the title to Arsenal.
Guardiola leaves having transformed City into the dominant force of the English game. Across a decade in Manchester, he won six Premier League titles, a UEFA Champions League crown, multiple domestic cups and reshaped expectations around the club both on and off the pitch.
“There have been points along the way when he could have stopped, and it would have been enough,” said City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak. “Somehow, Pep always found new energy and pushed on, finding different and innovative ways to continue winning and delivering success.”
In an emotional farewell, Guardiola reflected not only on football, but on his relationship with Manchester itself.
“This is a city built from work. From graft. You see it in the colour of the bricks,” he said. “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.”
He also referenced his longstanding affection for the city’s music culture.
“When I arrived, my first interview was with Noel Gallagher,” Guardiola added. “I walked out thinking: ‘OK … Noel is here? This will be fun.’”
City confirmed Guardiola will remain connected to the wider City Football Group in a global ambassadorial role focused on technical advice and strategic projects.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at [email protected]