Pep Guardiola to leave Man City after 10 years in charge

Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City at the end of the season, he has confirmed.

Rumours swirled in recent days that the Spaniard would be departing the Premier League club after a decade in charge, but he was coy and cited the fact that he had an extra season on his contract.

However, Friday morning brought the news that he will leave after City’s final game of the season – at home to Aston Villa on Sunday – after failing to add to his six Premier League titles with the club.

The 55-year-old, who previously coached Barcelona and Bayern Munich, also guided City to one Champions League trophy, three FA Cups and five Carabao Cups.

In 2023, he helped the club win the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in one season, marking a historic treble. He will leave the club as its most-successful manager ever.

In a statement on Friday, Guardiola said: “When I arrived, my first interview was with [Oasis band member] 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 [on Tuesday], and you were there. Trips to Istanbul [to win the Champions League in 2023], when you were there, too.

“Remember, the Manchester Arena attack, when this city showed the world what strength actually looks like? Not anger. Not fear. Just love. Community. Togetherness. A city united.

“Remember, losing my mum during COVID and feeling this club carry me through it. The fans, the staff, the people of Manchester, you gave me strength when I needed it most. Cris [Guardiola’s ex-wife], my kids, my whole family, you were there as always. Khaldoon [Al Mubarak, chairman of Man City], you were there too.

“Players don’t forget - every single instant, moment, me, my staff, this club, everything. What we have done, we have done it for all of you. And you have been just exceptional. You don’t know it yet, but you are leaving a legacy.

“So as my time comes to an end, be happy. Oasis are back again. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for trusting me. Thank you for pushing me. Thank you for loving me. Tony Walsh said in his unforgettable poem ‘this is the place’. I’m sorry, Tony: this is my place. Noel… I was right. It has been so f**** fun. Love you all.”

Guardiola’s next coaching role is unclear, but he is expected to take a break – and in the meantime, he will serve as Global Ambassador for the City Football Group. He is expected to be replaced in the Man City dugout by former assistant coach Enzo Maresca, who most recently managed Chelsea.

Although Guardiola was unable to lead City to another domestic title this week, as their draw at Bournemouth confirmed Arsenal as champions, the Spaniard did guide City to a kind of domestic double: winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

Al-Mubarak said: “Over the last ten years, honesty and trust have formed the bedrock on which we have navigated every situation together with Pep – always understanding that we could find the right answer together. Today the right answer is for Pep to finish his journey as the manager of Manchester City.

“There have been points along the way when he could have stopped, and it would have been enough. Somehow, Pep always found new energy and pushed on, finding different and innovative ways to continue winning and delivering success. As a result, the club has a decade of memories and success to be forever grateful for, and much more than that, an evolution that cannot be undone.

“The unique approach that he brings to his coaching has allowed him to constantly challenge the accepted truths of our game. It is the reason that in the last ten years he has not only made Manchester City better – he has also made football better.”

And Man City chief executive Ferran Soriano said: “We have been privileged to work alongside Pep Guardiola for ten years. We have witnessed his greatness and dedication, but also enjoyed his companionship, his friendship and humanity. What a privilege it has been for so many of us at Manchester City. Pep’s legacy is extraordinary and its true impact will be better assessed by Manchester City historians of the future.”