Pep Guardiola has announced that he will leave Manchester City at the end of the season after a decade in charge of the Premier League club.
Guardiola confirmed that Sunday’s match against Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium will be his final game as Manchester City manager.
The Spaniard, however, is expected to remain connected to the club through a role as a global ambassador for the City Football Group.
“What a time we have had together!” Guardiola said in a statement released by the club on Friday.
“Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it’s my time.
“Nothing is eternal; if it were, I would be here. Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City,” he added.
During his 10-year spell at Manchester City, Guardiola won 20 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the club’s first-ever UEFA Champions League trophy.
His trophy haul also included three FA Cups, five League Cups, the FIFA Club World Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and three Community Shields.
The announcement comes shortly after City lost the Premier League title to Arsenal.
Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who previously served on Guardiola’s coaching staff, has been widely linked with replacing him at the Etihad Stadium.
Before joining Manchester City in 2016, Guardiola enjoyed successful spells with FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
At Barcelona, he won two Champions League titles and three La Liga crowns between 2008 and 2012.
He later guided Bayern Munich to three league titles during his time in Germany.
Guardiola’s influence extended beyond trophies, with his possession-based style reshaping modern football in England and across Europe.
Several top managers, including Mikel Arteta and Arne Slot, have openly credited Guardiola’s philosophy as a major influence on their coaching careers.
His departure also comes while Manchester City continue to await the outcome of an investigation into more than 100 alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations.
The club was charged in February 2023, while hearings before an independent commission concluded in December 2024.
