Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak says "it was not easy for Pep Guardiola professionally or personally" this season but it hasn't shaken his trust in the manager
13:00, 29 May 2025
Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City
Pep Guardiola had a nightmare season at Manchester City(Image: Alex Broadway/Getty Images)
Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak insists he still has full trust in Pep Guardiola's ability to make the club serial winners again.
The dethroned champions were left in shock following a dismal campaign which saw them fail to win silverware and surrender the league title to Liverpool. To make matters worse, Guardiola also revealed he would be taking a break from football once he decided to leave the Etihad.
The pressure on City to bounce back in style next season will be huge. But Al-Mubarak is convinced Guardiola remains the right man to lead City out of their troubled times. Al-Mubarak said: "You've asked me this question many times over the years, whenever his contract was due, and you've always seen me relaxed about this.
"Because, I think one thing we have with Pep, which is so fundamental, is one word: trust. We have trust, and it goes both ways. He trusts us. He trusts me. He trusts the organisation. He trusts the club, and we trust him.
And that trust is what, in the good times, allows you to keep winning. And in the tough times, is the hardest and that's where that trust really shows up.
Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Chairman of Manchester City, and Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, watch on following the team's victory in the Premier League match between Manchester City and West Ham United
Khaldoon Al Mubarak has given Pep Guardiola his backing(Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
"And we've gone through all these ups and downs, and we've always stood together as a team. And inevitably it's always shown to be the foundation of our success. So I have a lot of trust in Pep.
"I think he had a tough year like many people. It was not easy for him professionally. It was not easy for him personally. But I have the highest respect for him as a person.
"How he handled this year, how he handled the hard parts, how he's behaved, always with respect. I think this year, if anything, got us even closer together, given the challenges that we've had to deal with."
Khaldoon admits a history of success is nice to look back on. But he is more concerned with a future he hopes will see City go on to dominate once again, and win even more trophies than they already have done.
With Erling Haaland being at the heart of it. He added: "Absolutely. What you talk about is history. What we are focusing on is the future, always.
"History is great and it's lovely and we celebrate it, and we enjoy it. But then the page flips and there's a new page to write, and the future is about what we can do together.
Erling Haaland has committed his future to Manchester City
Erling Haaland has committed his future to Manchester City(Image: Getty Images)
"How many more leagues we can keep winning, how many more Champions Leagues we can go on and win. How many Club World Cups we're going to go and win, FA Cups, Carabao Cups, Community Shields.
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"It's writing the next chapter, the following chapter and Erling is at the heart of it. I think this commitment goes both ways. It's Erling telling the club he's betting on us, and it's us telling him we're betting on you, and we're betting for the next 10 years.
"You're going to take us to the next chapters, with more trophies and incredible success.”