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Pep Guardiola has officially confirmed that he is bringing an end to his illustrious decade in charge of Manchester City this weekend.
The Catalan has lifted 17 major trophies at the Etihad Stadium after securing the FA Cup with victory over Chelsea – falling just short of adding a seventh Premier League crown before departing.
Talk around Guardiola’s future has been persistent all season and ex-coach and former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is expected to be announced as the new manager.
On Monday, Daily Mail Sport revealed that Guardiola had finalised a decision to leave the Etihad Stadium. It’s understood that he will take a break from coaching.
Guardiola masterminded a domestic Treble in 2019 and then became only the second coach of an English team to complete the league, FA Cup and Champions League Treble four years later.
The Catalan has lifted 17 major trophies with the Etihad club – here he is pictured with the FA Cup trophy in 2019, his first of three
Guardiola masterminded a domestic Treble in 2019 and then became only the second coach of an English team to complete the league, FA Cup and Champions League Treble four years later
City’s cohort of 2018 hold the record for being the only team in English history to reach 100 points in a top-flight season and Guardiola will leave behind a legacy that should be impossible to match.
Director of football Hugo Viana informally spoke to Maresca about the prospect of taking over before Christmas, with the Italian then leaving Chelsea. City are understood to have also held discussions with a Spanish manager.
It remains to be seen how many of the club’s backroom staff stay on but City have offered assistant Pep Lijnders a new contract in a move that would aid any transitional period should he accept.
Fitness coach Lorenzo Buenaventura and goalkeeping coach Xabi Mancisidor are already confirmed to be leaving, the latter a stalwart of the club since Manuel Pellegrini’s reign.
City have explored the possibility of hiring Guardiola’s right-hand man, Manel Estiarte, on a part-time consultancy basis next season.
It looks set to be an emotional few days at City, with captain Bernardo Silva and John Stones having already formally announced their departures.
City have organised a parade to celebrate the men and women’s teams on Monday, with an after-party event being held at the Co-op Live arena next to the Etihad that will mark the departing stars and their manager.
