Pep Guardiola’s farewell at the end of this season seemed to be written and instead it will continue until 2027, leading the Catalan coach to lead Manchester City for 11 years. A choice that goes against the grain of the career the Catalan had before arriving in England.
FOUR INTENSE YEARS IN BARCELONA
When he said goodbye to Barcelona after four seasons in which they won everything, he explained his choice like this: “I could no longer motivate my players. Football is not like going to the shopping center and buying the victory you like best”. The point of no return, Guardiola himself admitted, was the elimination from the Champions League in 2012 at the hands of Roberto Di Matteo’s Chelsea, who later won the cup.
FAREWELL TO BAYERN
His adventure at Bayern lasted three seasons, from 2013 to 2016: he won everything in his homeland, plus a Club World Cup and a European Super Cup thanks above all to Jupp Heynckes, who allowed him to compete for these two trophies thanks to the Champions League won in May 2013. Champions League that Guardiola missed and which he considered impossible to conquer in Bavaria: “In two-three years I did everything possible. To improve we need to enemies and criticism, of new challenges. The messages you can give to the players quickly run out, you have to offer them something new in every game so that they can say: ‘what’s happening today, do I really have to do this?’
ATTENTION TO THE PROCESS
This is why the longevity he has had in Manchester is incredible, especially after having won the Champions League in 2023, the main objective of the owners since he took office. And after the farewell of Txiki Begiristain at the end of this season. It now remains to be understood what will happen after the trial involving the club for alleged financial violations (115 accusations brought by the Premier League): an earthquake that could upset everything, even if Guardiola said in this regard that his future would not depend on whether he remained or less than the team in the Premier League. The ruling will presumably come in the spring. According to what the English media report, there is no termination clause in the new agreement in the event of relegation.