Pep Guardiola is set to bring his trophy-laden decade in charge of Manchester City to an end this weekend, according to multiple reports on Monday.
Guardiola has won six English Premier League titles and City’s first UEFA Champions League among 20 trophies since arriving in 2016.
He could add one more to his tally if City win their final two matches of the season against AFC Bournemouth and Aston Villa, and Arsenal fail to beat Crystal Palace on Sunday’s final round of Premier League fixtures.
Photo: Reuters
The Daily Mail and The Athletic reported that Guardiola would step down after the visit of Villa to the Etihad.
City have made no comment on the speculation.
However, the club have arranged a parade through Manchester on Monday to celebrate their EFL Cup and FA Cup triumphs this season, which could act as a farewell to Guardiola.
Former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca, who previously worked on Guardiola’s staff at City, is reportedly in line to take over next season.
Guardiola has one more year remaining on his contract, but rumors he was set to depart at the end of the season have circulated for months.
After a first trophyless season for seven years in the 2024-2025 campaign, a rejuvenated City have bounced back.
Victory over Chelsea in Saturday’s FA Cup final completed a domestic cup double and they could still usurp Arsenal for a seventh league title in nine years.
Guardiola arrived in England as already one of Europe’s most decorated coaches.
His four-year spell at boyhood club Barcelona between 2008 and 2012 captured admirers across the globe, winning two Champions Leagues and three La Liga titles.
He added three more league titles in three seasons at Bayern Munich.
A similarly short spell was expected when City lured him to the Premier League, but his influence has transformed the English game at all levels over the past 10 years.
Backed by the deep pockets of Abu Dhabi royalty, City have stepped out of the shadow of local rivals Manchester United to become the dominant force in England.
Even City’s competitors have turned to his disciples to catch up.
Arsenal, led by Guardiola’s former assistant Mikel Arteta, are on the brink of their first title in 22 years.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has said his coaching philosophy was shaped by watching Guardiola’s Barcelona team, while new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso moved to Bayern in the final years of his playing career to gain the experience of working under Guardiola.
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