Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has been with the team for over a decade after extending his contract by two more years. His status as one of the club’s longest-serving managers was confirmed by the statement released on Thursday. With the words, “Manchester City means so much to me,” Guardiola highlighted his strong bond with the players in a statement.
This contract was signed during a period of speculation that Guardiola might depart, particularly given that football director Txiki Begiristain was scheduled to depart at the end of the current campaign. Begiristain, who had worked with Guardiola at Barcelona and played a key role in his appointment, was believed to be leaving with the manager. With his statement, “I’m not moving, I promise you this,” Guardiola decisively ended the rumors.
Guardiola has won 18 trophies throughout his tenure at City, including a historic triple in 2023—the FA Cup, Premier League, and Champions League. City has changed under his leadership from an underdog to one of the world’s best football clubs. “Now this is my ninth season together; we have shared plenty of unforgettable experiences together,” he remarked, recalling the past.
Prior to Manchester City, Guardiola led Bayern Munich and Barcelona, both of which saw great success. He garnered seven titles during his three-year stint at Bayern and fourteen during his four-year tenure at Barça. His reputation as one of the greatest football managers of all time is cemented by these accomplishments.
City has suffered a terrible run of results this season, including four successive defeats, the first since the team was acquired by Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008. Even worse, Rodri, the winner of the Ballon d’Or, has been out since September because of a devastating injury to his knee ligament.
Despite these difficulties, City is still five points behind Premier League champions Liverpool in second position. On December 1, the two clubs will square off in what is expected to be a pivotal match. Guardiola is still upbeat and committed to making the season better in order to increase the club’s trophy collection.
“I have said this repeatedly before, but I have everything a manager could possibly ask for, and I value that so much,” stated Guardiola. He reaffirmed his will to succeed and his resolve to win additional championships for City in the years to come.
Under Guardiola’s leadership, City will try to bounce back from its recent dip and recapture its winning momentum against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
