Guardiola Plans Hiatus After Manchester City Tenure

Pep Guardiola has reiterated his intention to take a sabbatical once his time with Manchester City concludes, according to recent reports. His current contract, extended in November, is set to run until 2027.

Guardiola, aged 54, stands as the most decorated manager in Manchester City’s history. He has guided the club to 18 trophy wins, securing six Premier League titles and a Champions League victory.

Having previously hinted at a City departure upon his contract’s expiration, Guardiola confirmed his plans to take a break after his current stint.

“I don’t know exactly when, but I am planning to stop after my time with City. It’s something I’ve decided,” Guardiola stated.

“I’m unsure about the duration—it could be a year, two, three, five, ten, or fifteen. What is certain is that I will take a break after my spell with City to refocus on myself and my well-being.”

Manchester City has faced challenges recently, failing to secure any trophies last season—a first since Guardiola took over in 2016.

“For four or five months this year, in every away stadium, I heard the crowd chanting, ‘You’ll be sacked in the morning’,” Guardiola recounted.

“There isn’t any other job, whether you’re an architect, teacher, doctor, or journalist where 60,000 people are urging you to lose your job.

“After winning six Premier Leagues, there comes a decline. It’s only natural… it’s a process that was bound to happen, and when it did, it was more pronounced than we anticipated.”

Injuries plagued Manchester City’s previous season, notably that of Ballon d’Or recipient Rodri, who sustained a right ACL injury in September. The team experienced their earliest Champions League exit since 2012-13 and finished third in the Premier League. Despite this, Guardiola maintains that the season was not a failure.