Pep Guardiola, one of the most decorated managers in football history, will leave Manchester City at the end of the current Premier League season, the club confirmed this week. The 55-year-old Spanish coach will take charge of his final match on Sunday, when City host Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester in the closing fixture of the campaign.
Guardiola joined City in 2016, having previously managed FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich, and transformed the club into a dominant force in English and European football. Over his ten-year tenure, he won six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, five League Cups, and the UEFA Champions League in 2023 — a total of twenty major trophies. Despite having one year remaining on his contract, Guardiola said he felt the time had come to move on. "Ask me not for the reasons," he said in a farewell video. "There is no reason. But deep inside I feel it is time. Nothing is forever. If it were, I would still be here. What will last forever are the feelings, the people, the memories, and the love I have for my Manchester City." In a tribute to his contribution, the newly renovated North Stand at the Etihad Stadium will be renamed the Pep Guardiola Stand, with its first full use expected on Sunday.
City's farewell to their manager comes at the end of a bittersweet season. The club remained in the title race deep into the campaign but effectively ended their hopes with a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on Tuesday — just three days after defeating Chelsea 1-0 in the FA Cup Final. The Premier League title will go elsewhere.
Guardiola has also been a prominent voice beyond football during his time in England, consistently using his public platform to condemn the conflict in Gaza and express solidarity with Palestinians, drawing both praise and criticism from fans and public figures.
No successor has been officially announced, but Enzo Maresca — the current Chelsea manager who worked under Guardiola at City earlier in his coaching career — is reported to be the leading candidate. Vincent Kompany, the Belgian former City defender now managing Bayern Munich, has also been mentioned. Guardiola's next destination remains unknown.