Pep Guardiola has officially confirmed that he is bringing an end to his illustrious decade in charge of Manchester City this weekend. The Catalan manager has secured 17 major trophies at the Etihad Stadium, including an FA Cup victory over Chelsea, though he fell just short of adding a seventh Premier League crown before his departure.
Guardiola's Legacy and Departure
Talk surrounding Guardiola's future has been persistent throughout the season. 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 is 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. City’s 2018 squad holds 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.
Managerial Transition and Backroom Staff
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.
Emotional Farewell and Celebrations
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.
