Pep Guardiola is stepping down after a decorated decade as the manager at Manchester City, the Premier League team announced on Friday (May 22, 2026).
Guardiola, 55, will coach his farewell match on Sunday (May 24, 2026) against Aston Villa at Etihad Stadium, where the North Stand will be renamed to The Pep Guardiola Stand. A statue of Guardiola also has been commissioned.
Guardiola was under contract through June 2027 but is exercising a break clause in his contract. He will transition to a role as a global ambassador, providing technical advice to clubs in the City Football Group (including New York City FC of MLS).
“Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving,” Guardiola said. “There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it’s my time. Nothing is eternal, if it was, I would be here. Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City.
“This is a city built from work. From graft. You see it in the color of the bricks. From people who clocked in early, stayed late. The factories. The Pankhursts. The unions. The music. Simply the Industrial Revolution and how this changed the world. And I think I grew to understand that, and my teams did, too.
“We worked. We suffered. We fought. And we did things our own way. Our way.”
Under Guardiola’s guidance, City’s impressive haul of 20 trophies included six Premier League titles — including four straight from 2020-21 to 2023-24 — along with three FA Cups, the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League, the 2023 UEFA Super Cup and the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup.
Guardiola is expected to be replaced by former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca, The Athletic reported.
Manchester City won this season’s FA Cup and Carabao Cup but finished second to Arsenal in the Premier League.
Guardiola managed FC Barcelona (2008-12) and Bayern Munich (2013-16) before coming to Manchester.
Published – May 23, 2026 05:03 am IST
