‘Eternal will be the memories’: Pep Guardiola to step down as Manchester City manager after decade of dominance | Football News

Pep Guardiola confirmed that he will leave Manchester City at the end of the season, bringing an end to a 10-year spell at the club.Guardiola, who still had one year left on his contract, will take charge of his final match against Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.“Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it’s my time,” Guardiola said.“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.”Manchester City said Guardiola will take up the role of global ambassador after leaving the manager’s position. Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who earlier worked as Guardiola’s assistant at City, is being seen as the leading candidate to replace him.Since joining City in 2016, Guardiola led the club to six Premier League titles and their first-ever UEFA Champions League title in 2023.He won 17 major trophies with City, including the English League Cup and FA Cup this season. Across spells with FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City, Guardiola has won 35 major trophies as a coach.The 55-year-old arrived in England after successful spells with Barcelona and Bayern Munich. During his time at City, he helped the club win four straight Premier League titles from 2021 to 2024.In 2023, City completed a treble by winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, becoming only the second English club after Manchester United in 1999 to achieve the feat.Guardiola’s rivalry with former Liverpool FC manager Jurgen Klopp became one of the major storylines of the Premier League era.His style of possession-based football and playing from the back has influenced football in England across different levels of the game.Several coaches who worked under Guardiola have gone on to manage top clubs. Mikel Arteta started his senior coaching career as Guardiola’s assistant at City. Former City captain Vincent Kompany is currently managing Bayern Munich, while Xabi Alonso, now Chelsea manager, also worked under Guardiola at Bayern.Off the pitch, Guardiola has spoken publicly on political issues including Catalan independence and the war in Gaza.He was fined in 2018 after wearing a yellow ribbon in support of jailed Catalan independence leaders, which broke The Football Association rules on political symbols.Earlier this year, Guardiola attended a pro-Palestine charity event in Barcelona wearing a keffiyeh and urged people not to ignore the suffering in Gaza.Manchester City missed out on the Premier League title this season to Arsenal FC, but Guardiola leaves as one of the most successful managers in English football history.Guardiola has often spoken about the influence of late Dutch great Johan Cruyff, who coached Barcelona’s “Dream Team” and played a major role in shaping Guardiola’s football philosophy.“Nobody is like Johan,” Guardiola said. “It’s a big compliment you say that, but nobody is like him, the charisma, personality.“He changed the mentality of two clubs — Ajax and Barcelona — as a player and as a manager with a charisma that’s impossible to replicate.”