Guardiola’s 10-Year Manchester City Reign Set to End This Season

Pep Guardiola expected to leave Manchester City this summer

After a decade of unprecedented success, Pep Guardiola is reportedly leaving Manchester City, with his final game expected against Aston Villa.

Enzo Maresca Frontrunner to replace Guardiola at Manchester City... 

Pep Guardiola is set to step down as Manchester City manager when the season ends, according to multiple reports.

His future has been a talking point all campaign, with ongoing speculation that the Spaniard would leave a year before his contract expires.

It now appears that will happen. The BBC, Daily Mail, The Athletic and other outlets report that City’s match against Aston Villa this weekend is likely to be his last in charge.

The BBC reports that staff and players believe Guardiola will depart, ending a ten-year spell that brought the club an unmatched run of success.

Manchester City are preparing for Pep Guardiola’s exit after Sunday's game against Aston Villa.

Sources have told BBC Sport that Guardiola is expected to leave the Etihad at the end of the season, though City aren’t currently commenting.

Work towards Guardiola’s anticipated… pic.twitter.com/DkHnKQCoOo

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 18, 2026

As rumored throughout the season, Enzo Maresca is considered the leading candidate to take over from Guardiola.

Maresca served as Guardiola’s assistant from 2022 to 2023 before moving on to Leicester and Chelsea. During that time he won the Championship, the Conference League, and the Club World Cup.

 

He left Chelsea following disagreements with the club’s leadership, but his reputation has only grown as Chelsea have struggled since his exit.