Man City confirm Guardiola exit to end decade-long, trophy-laden spell

Pep Guardiola is standing down as Manchester City manager after winning 20 trophies with the Premier League club.

Pep Guardiola will leave ‌Manchester City at the end of the season after a decade in charge, the club has confirmed, bringing an end to ⁠one of the most successful ⁠eras in English football and one of the most influential managerial reigns of all time.

The departure of the 55-year-old Catalan coach will close the book on a remarkable chapter that has seen City transform into a footballing juggernaut.

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Guardiola, who took ⁠charge of City in 2016, has won six Premier League titles – including four in a row – three FA Cups, five League Cups and the Champions League, but his side have not won the league in two years.

“Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving. There is no reason, but ⁠deep inside, I know it’s my time,” Guardiola said in a statement on Friday.

“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.

“We worked. We suffered. We fought. And we did things our own way. Our way.”

Although City sealed the domestic cup double this season, Guardiola saw his dreams of a seventh Premier League crown dashed when they drew 1-1 at ‌Bournemouth on Tuesday to hand Arsenal the title, with City set to finish second.

His final game in charge is Sunday’s home fixture against Aston Villa.

Guardiola had arrived in Manchester with a resume already stuffed with silverware from Barcelona and Bayern Munich, taking over from Manuel Pellegrini in July 2016.

After inheriting a successful club financed by the Abu Dhabi United Group, Guardiola will walk away having built a footballing empire after overseeing a paradigm shift in Premier League tactics.

As Guardiola faced the challenge of adapting to England’s famously fast-paced and physical league, possession became an art form and a defensive tool at City as his teams craved complete control.

The result was not just utter dominance – ⁠evidenced by record-breaking campaigns like the 100-point 2017-18 season with 106 goals scored – but also relentless consistency year ⁠after year, including a record four league titles in a row.

Guardiola’s squads set new standards, forcing other teams to evolve, while City’s financial muscle, combined with shrewd signings such as the much-sought-after striker Erling Haaland helped deliver the treble in 2022-23.

However, the spectre of the 115 charges of alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules looms ⁠large over his tenure at the club.

His rivalry with former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp raised the bar in the Premier League so high that even 97 points proved insufficient for the Anfield side ⁠to claim the title in 2018-19.

More recently, Guardiola has faced a challenge from his protege ⁠and former coaching assistant Mikel Arteta, who took charge at Arsenal and finished second behind City twice before ultimately winning the trophy this season.

But Guardiola looked back fondly at his time in Manchester, remembering how the city came together after the Manchester Arena attack while also describing how the club helped him through a tough period when he lost his ‌mother to COVID.

“The fans, the staff, the people of Manchester, you gave me strength when I needed it most,” he added.

“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.

“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.”