Pep Guardiola to Leave Manchester City After 10 Years in Charge

Pep Guardiola departs City

After 10 years, Guardiola confirms his departure from Manchester City. We break down his legacy, records, and the club’s plans for the future.

Guardiola leaves City with 6 Premier League titles and a Champions League. Enzo Maresca tipped to replace him as the club names “The Guardiola Stand...”

.

Pep Guardiola has confirmed he will leave Manchester City at the end of the season. The manager shared the news in a video posted to social media on Friday, just before City’s final Premier League match against Aston Villa on Sunday.

Guardiola has led City since 2016 and departs as the club’s most successful manager ever. During his tenure, he guided the team to a Champions League title, six Premier League trophies, and multiple domestic cup.

In the video, he said: “Don't ask me the reasons why I am leaving. There is no reason.

“But deep inside, I know it's my time.”

"Eternal will be the feeling. The people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City.

“...We work and we suffer. We fought and we did things our own way.

“...As my time comes to an end, be happy. Oasis are back again. So, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for trusting me. Thank you for pushing me. Thank you for loving me.”

"What a time we have had together." 🩵 pic.twitter.com/WpkFecBYT4

— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 22, 2026

How Guardiola Reshaped English Football

Guardiola took charge of Manchester City in 2016 and quickly brought his tactical approach to the Premier League. His influence changed how the game was played across the country.

City won their first title under him in 2018, finishing with 100 points. The peak came in the 2022/23 season when they completed the treble by winning the Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup. That made City only the second English club after Manchester United in 1998/99 to achieve the feat.

In a statement, the club's CEO, Ferran Soriano, added: “Pep’s legacy is extraordinary, and its true impact will be better assessed by Manchester City historians of the future. He contributed decisively to our journey to global excellence, and his high standards will be a reference for our players and managers of the future.

“If there is something more difficult than winning, it is winning again. It requires incredible persistence, resilience and the humility to start again every year, with the same energy, again and again. This is what Pep did.”

Club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak also remarked: “There have been points along the way when he could have stopped, and it would have been enough. Somehow, Pep always found new energy and pushed on, finding different and innovative ways to continue winning and delivering success.

“As a result, the Club has a decade of memories and success to be forever grateful for, and much more than that, an evolution that cannot be undone.”

Guardiola’s success at the Etihad earned him plenty of individual recognition. He was named Premier League Manager of the Season five times and took home the UEFA Men’s Coach of the Year award in 2023.

Over his time at City, Guardiola posted a 70.3% win rate. His 269 league victories put him 46 clear of any other manager in Europe, with Diego Simeone in second on 223.

 

In the Premier League, he ranks fourth for total wins despite managing fewer games than those above him. Two of his title-winning campaigns, 2017/18 and 2018/19, are still regarded as among the best seasons in the competition’s history.

Manchester City are set to appoint Enzo Maresca as Guardiola’s replacement. Maresca previously worked under Guardiola as an assistant at the Etihad before managing Chelsea and Leicester City.

We see things they'll never see 🏆🐐 pic.twitter.com/s2I6Jf7wUD

— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 22, 2026

Guardiola won’t cut ties with the club entirely. The 55-year-old said he will take on a new role as Global Ambassador for Manchester City.

 

Hours after announcing his departure, City revealed that the newly built North Stand will be renamed “The Guardiola Stand” in recognition of his time at the club.