Guardiola confirms Manchester City departure: ‘Nothing is eternal’

Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City at the end of the season after a decade in charge, the club confirmed Friday, ending one of the most successful eras in English football and one of the most influential managerial reigns of all time.

The departure of the 55-year-old Catalan coach closes the book on a remarkable chapter that saw City transform into a footballing juggernaut.

Guardiola, who took charge of City in 2016, won six Premier League titles – including four in a row – three FA Cups, five League Cups and the Champions League, but his side failed to win the league in the past two seasons.

“Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it’s my time,” Guardiola said in a statement Friday.

“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.”

“We worked. We suffered. We fought. And we did things our own way. Our way.”

Although City sealed the domestic cup double this season, Guardiola’s dream of a seventh Premier League crown ended Tuesday when they drew 1-1 at Bournemouth, handing Arsenal the title and dropping City to second place.

His final game in charge will be Sunday’s home fixture against Aston Villa.

Guardiola arrived in Manchester with a resume already packed with silverware from Barcelona and Bayern Munich, succeeding Manuel Pellegrini in July 2016.

After inheriting a successful club backed by the Abu Dhabi United Group, Guardiola will leave having built a footballing empire, overseeing a paradigm shift in Premier League tactics.

As Guardiola faced the challenge of adapting to England’s famously fast-paced and physical league, possession became an art form and a defensive tool at City as his teams sought complete control.

The result was not just utter dominance – evidenced by record-breaking campaigns like the 100-point 2017-18 season with 106 goals scored – but also relentless consistency year after year, including a record four league titles in a row.

Guardiola’s squads set new standards, forcing other teams to evolve, while City’s financial muscle, combined with shrewd signings such as striker Erling Haaland, helped deliver the treble in 2022-23.

However, the spectre of 115 charges of alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules looms large over his tenure.

His rivalry with former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp raised the bar so high that even 97 points proved insufficient for the Anfield side to claim the title in 2018-19.

More recently, Guardiola faced a challenge from his protégé and former coaching assistant Mikel Arteta, who took charge at Arsenal and finished second behind City twice before winning the trophy this season.

Guardiola looked back fondly on his time in Manchester, recalling how the city came together after the Manchester Arena attack and how the club helped him through a tough period when he lost his mother to COVID.

“The fans, the staff, the people of Manchester, you gave me strength when I needed it most,” he added.

“Players don’t forget – every single instant, moment, me, my staff, this club, everything. What we have done, we have done it for all of you. And you have been just exceptional. You don’t know it yet, but you are leaving a legacy.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for trusting me. Thank you for pushing me. Thank you for loving me … Tony Walsh said in his unforgettable poem, ‘This is the place.’ I’m sorry, Tony: this is my place.”