Pep Guardiola confirmed to Manchester City players that he will leave the club at the end of the season, delivering the news via a late-night group call according to reports
Pep Guardiola convened a ‘late night group call’ with his Manchester City squad to announce he will leave the club following Sunday’s fixture against Aston Villa. Reports surfaced on Monday evening revealing that Guardiola is poised to step down from City at the conclusion of the season, drawing the curtain on a triumphant decade at the helm.
However, according to The Sun, Guardiola is reportedly ‘furious’ after news of his exit was leaked ahead of Tuesday’s crucial Premier League trip to Bournemouth. City need to win the game to keep the title race alive and any other result confirms Arsenal as champions.
The news emerging shortly before Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat of Burnley on Monday night was the latest twist in the Premier League title race. What effect it has remains to be seen but it could be a boost for the Gunners with City’s players likely reeling.
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In response to the Daily Mail’s bombshell report, Guardiola opted to gather his City players together, holding a group meeting to notify them of his decision to vacate the Etihad Stadium following the club’s final fixture of the campaign.
A source told The Sun: “Pep is furious at the timing just before a game. He summoned the players to join a late night group call and confirmed he was leaving.
“He apologised for the way the news emerged. It took him by surprise. The players were told as recently as Saturday that he wasn’t going so everyone is in a state of shock.”, reports the Manchester Evening News.
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City have declined to comment on the matter, and Guardiola will face questions regarding the situation when he leads his side to the Vitality Stadium to take on Bournemouth on Tuesday evening.
Guardiola steered City to FA Cup glory on Saturday as they defeated Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley. That could yet prove to be the final piece of silverware for the Catalan as City manager, following a trophy-laden decade in charge. City retain an outside chance of claiming the Premier League title, though they must win their final two fixtures against Bournemouth and Villa while hoping Arsenal slip up at Crystal Palace.
Since his arrival at the Etihad Stadium in 2016, Guardiola has guided City to six Premier League titles, including a remarkable four consecutive triumphs. He also steered the Blues to their first and only Champions League trophy, in addition to three FA Cups, five League Cups and three Community Shields.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager had long been expected to depart City at the season’s conclusion, and the club have now begun informing key stakeholders ahead of a formal announcement on Sunday.
Guardiola’s extraordinary contribution to City will subsequently be celebrated with an open-top bus parade through Manchester on Monday, accompanied by his players, the women’s side and academy teams.
Enzo Maresca, the former Leicester City and Chelsea manager, has agreed terms to succeed Guardiola at City. He served as Guardiola’s assistant during the 2022/23 campaign before taking the helm at the Foxes.
