Pep Guardiola has dismissed fears that Manchester City will suffer a dramatic decline when he eventually leaves the club, insisting that the Premier League champions are built on solid foundations rather than one man's genius.
Speaking ahead of the 188th Manchester derby, Guardiola pointed to the stark contrast with Manchester United's struggles since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. United have failed to mount a serious title challenge and have appointed five managers in the eight years since Ferguson's departure. Guardiola said: 'The club knows exactly what is the next target and the next step. There will be zero problems when I leave.'
The Catalan manager, who has won four of the last five Premier League titles, emphasised the importance of the club's hierarchy, including chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, chief executive Ferran Soriano, sporting director Txiki Begiristana and football operations officer Omar Berrada. 'I never buy the players. I never sell the players. It is not my money. It is the club's,' Guardiola said. 'The foundation of the club is why the team is solid.'
Guardiola also revealed his cordial relationship with Ferguson, recalling dinners in New York and chats at Old Trafford. Despite once being courted by Ferguson, Guardiola chose to join Bayern Munich before arriving at City in 2016. He expressed deep respect for the legendary Scot but made clear his own approach is different: 'If the club just depends on Pep then it is not doing really well.'
