Pep Guardiola won his 20th major trophy as Manchester City manager as City beat Chelsea 1-0 in Saturday’s FA Cup final. Across a decade in charge, Guardiola has established City as the dominant force in English football. The football that City have played and the manner in which they have won every major trophy available to them has been unprecedented. Pep Guardiola’s legacy as the greatest manager of the modern era has been further cemented during his spell as City manager. However, throughout this season speculation has swirled that the 2025-26 season could be Guardiola’s final season as Manchester City manager. A new report has now confirmed that Pep Guardiola will step down as City manager after Manchester City’s final Premier League match of the season against Aston Villa on Sunday. The end of an era is set to arrive at City based on the new report.
Pep Guardiola is set to step down as Manchester City manager.
Oliver Holt has reported for the Daily Mail that Pep Guardiola will stand down as Manchester City manager after City’s final Premier League match of this season against Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Furthermore, Holt reports that City have begun to tell their sponsor partners that an announcement is imminent regarding Guardiola’s departure from the club. Holt further reports that an official announcement of Pep Guardiola’s departure from Manchester City is expected to arrive sometime on Sunday.
The end of an era looks to have arrived at City, but they are well prepared for what comes next if Pep Guardiola departs.
If, as Oliver Holt reports, Pep Guardiola leaves his post as City manager, the end of an era will have arrived at the club. Pep Guardiola has led the club to an unprecedented level of success during his time as Manchester City’s manager. City have won 20 major trophies during Pep Guardiola’s tenure, and it isn’t a stretch to say that Guardiola has forever changed English football and Manchester City.
You can see Pep Guardiola’s influence at every level of English football, so much so that the Premier League has evolved into a more physical product to counter the football that Pep Guardiola and City have produced. Also, Manchester City are firmly placed as one of the premier clubs in world and English football as under Pep Guardiola they have dominated English football at a level and in a manner that has never been seen before, and likely will not be again.
It also seems that Manchester City are well prepared for their next era. TeamTalk has reported that former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is set to take over from Pep Guardiola. Maresca will take over a City squad that is in a great position. Pep Guardiola has taught this team to win, as evidenced by their Carabao Cup and FA Cup triumphs this season. Also, the team spirit in this City side is strong which sets them up extremely well for what comes next if, as expected, Pep Guardiola steps down from his post.
Pep Guardiola is reportedly set to step down as Manchester City manager. The end of an era looks to have arrived at the Etihad Stadium. Guardiola has left a legacy on City that will never be forgotten. It would seem that Enzo Maresca will be tasked with leading Manchester City’s new era.
Well despite what we both said yesterday it seems Pep is a very convincing “fibber”. I think his next job could be a politician. Of course it is best it is handled this way for all concerned as going into a season knowing it will be your last is bad for all concerned and when you have been here so long it is probably the way it would end. Could it influence summer signings?
Potentially it could. But I don’t think so. I don’t think this news has come as a surprise to the club as they’ve clearly had Maresca lined up for some time.
I think so too. Players will come to City for the overall set up of which Pep is a part of. The facilities are world class as are the whole campus and back ups. Our club is like Monte Carlo against Morecambe.
We won’t make the mistake Utd made when Ferguson left bringing in an outsider and inheriting and ageing squad ,City have done the opposite
Yeah I think when you step back and look at it, perhaps this is the ideal time for someone, likely Maresca, to take over from Pep.
They aren’t coming in after the treble, or four in a row for example. Pep has rebuilt the team, and now it is Maresca’s time to put the finishing touches on it.
One of the reasons Chelsea gave for sacking him was that he had been seen at the Etihad last October. The Chelsea players all thought he had the best structural plans. Maybe the Chelsea owners felt they would lose him at the end of the season. If City really wanted him to replace Pep they could hardly expect him to hang around until May 2027. I ,like you, think that this had been planned many months ago. Pep is too close to the Chairman and CEO to get it wrong. I suppose as we are going into the unknown it is mitigated by the fact Maresca knows the Club well. I think most of Us have always thought that the Club would replace Pep from within. We are the best run Club/ Organization in the World