Pep Guardiola took over from Manuel Pellegrini in 2016, marking the start of a trophy-laden decade at Manchester City. Here we chart the season-by-season evolution of Guardiola's team.
2016-17: No Silverware in First Campaign
It was confirmed on 1 February that Pep Guardiola would head to east Manchester. Behind the scenes, plenty went on to create a squad suited to him, but it was a season of transition as he investigated who could fit into his system. Kevin De Bruyne's class in midfield shone. City finished third in the Premier League and were knocked out by Monaco in the Champions League last 16, ending without a trophy.
2017-18: Premier League Centurions
Bernardo Silva, Kyle Walker, and Ederson headlined the summer business, while long-serving players were shipped out. City dropped only two points in the opening 20 Premier League matches. Liverpool were thrashed 5-0 in the fourth game but eliminated City in the Champions League quarter-finals. The first trophy came in the League Cup final against Arsenal. City reached 100 points and scored 106 goals, finishing 19 points clear of second-placed Manchester United.
2018-19: Domestic Treble Winners
A comparatively poor 98 points and 95 goals followed, but every point was vital as Liverpool fought City until the end. The two clubs exchanged the lead 32 times. City won their final 14 league matches, lifting the League Cup and FA Cup. Tottenham eliminated City in the Champions League quarter-finals on away goals.
2019-20: Dethroned as Covid Hits
City finished 18 points adrift of Liverpool. Covid made it an unusual season, with Champions League legs played four months apart. A 4-2 aggregate win over Real Madrid felt like a turning point, but City lost to Lyon in a one-off quarter-final. A 2-1 League Cup win over Aston Villa prevented an empty-handed season, with Sergio Aguero and Rodri proving their class.
2020-21: Champions Again but Euro Agony
After a humiliating 5-2 home loss to Leicester, City spent £60m on Ruben Dias and won the league 12 points ahead of Manchester United. The League Cup was added, and City reached the Champions League final against Chelsea. Guardiola left out Rodri, and City lost to Kai Havertz's goal in Porto.
2021-22: Gundogan Heroics on Final Day
Everything went to the final day: City needed to beat Aston Villa to guarantee a fourth title. Villa went two goals ahead, but Ilkay Gundogan and Rodri levelled, and Gundogan scored a second in five minutes for a chaotic turnaround. City's Champions League exit was equally dramatic, losing 6-5 on aggregate to Real Madrid after extra time.
2022-23: European Champions at Last
Guardiola signed Erling Haaland, who scored 52 goals across all competitions. City bulldozed to the Champions League final, beating RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid 14-0 on aggregate at the Etihad. Rodri scored the winner in a nervous final against Inter in Istanbul, securing the treble. "It was written in the stars. It belongs to us," Guardiola said.
2023-24: English Title No 6
City won their final nine games to beat Arsenal to the title by two points for Guardiola's sixth Premier League triumph. Real Madrid beat City on penalties in the Champions League quarter-finals after a 4-4 aggregate draw. City lost the FA Cup final 2-1 to Manchester United. Guardiola said goodbye to Jurgen Klopp, calling him "the best rival I ever had."
2024-25: Changing of the Guard
The campaign was a disaster by Guardiola's standards. "If this were Barca or Madrid, they would have sacked me," he said. There was loyalty to players like Walker and De Bruyne, but it was a year too many. January surgery helped City battle for Champions League qualification, but they ended without major trophies, meekly losing to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup.
2025-26: Going Out with a Bang
A summer rebuild brought a fresh squad, but it was a slow-burner. City lost two of their first three league games and, after four without a win in January, challenging for first looked impossible. However, City resurgent made Arsenal sweat until the end. Cups were more fruitful: Arsenal were brushed aside in the League Cup final, and Chelsea beaten in the FA Cup final. Once again, Madrid punished City in Europe, winning 5-1 on aggregate in the last 16.
