Pep Guardiola confirms his Manchester City departure: Don't ask me why I am leaving

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will leave the club at the end of the season, ending a remarkable 10-year spell that changed the course of the club's history and redefined standards in English football.

In Short

• Pep Guardiola has confirmed he will leave Manchester City at the end of the season
• Guardiola won 20 major trophies during his Manchester City tenure
• After leaving the manager's post, Pep will transition into a City Football Group ambassador

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola confirmed on Friday that he will leave the club at the end of the season, bringing to a close a historic 10-year spell that transformed Manchester City into one of football's dominant powers.

City announced that Guardiola will step down after Sunday's Premier League clash against Aston Villa. The Spaniard, who joined the club in 2016, leaves as the most successful manager in Manchester City's history after winning 20 major trophies.

Guardiola has activated a break clause in the contract he signed last year, which was due to run until June 2027. He will now move into a global ambassador role within the City Football Group and continue offering technical advice across the organisation's clubs.

Speaking after the announcement, Guardiola said the decision had come from within rather than any external factor.

"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."

The 55-year-old leaves behind one of the greatest managerial legacies in Premier League history. During his decade at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City won six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, five League Cups, the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup.

Guardiola's arrival marked the beginning of a new era for the club. His teams combined relentless intensity with technical precision and tactical control, setting records for points, goals and winning runs while dominating English football for much of the last decade.

The club's long wait for European success also ended under Guardiola when City lifted the Champions League trophy in Istanbul in 2023, completing a historic treble-winning campaign.

Sunday's match against Aston Villa will be Guardiola's 593rd and final game in charge of Manchester City.

In an emotional farewell message, Guardiola reflected on the relationship he built with the club, the supporters and the city itself.

"When I arrived, my first interview was with Noel Gallagher. I walked out thinking, 'Okay Noel is here? This will be fun.'

"And what a time we have had together."

Guardiola also spoke about how Manchester's working-class identity influenced him during his decade in England.

"This is a city built from work. From graft. You see it in the colour 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."

The City boss also thanked supporters for standing by the team through both setbacks and triumphs.

"Trips to Bournemouth, when we lost the Premier League, and you were there. Trips to Istanbul, when you were there, too."

Guardiola's departure signals the end of one of the defining managerial reigns English football has witnessed. Beyond the trophies, he changed the expectations around Manchester City and established the club among the elite sides in world football.

City's hierarchy have long viewed Guardiola as a central figure in the club's football identity, making his exit one of the biggest moments in the club's modern era.

Attention will now turn towards the search for Guardiola's successor, with former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca expected to be among the leading contenders for the role.

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