Thank you, Pep.
Thank you, Bernardo.
Thank you, John.
For the memories, the passion, the trophies, the tears, the fights, the comebacks and the history you gave this club.
You all helped define Manchester City’s greatest era.
Once Blue. Always Blue. 🩵
Pep Guardiola’s legacy? Look all around from park pitches to Wembley. So many teams and coaches have been influenced by Guardiola. More teams playing out from the back, full-backs inverting into midfield, inviting the press, passing through it, attacking the space. Teams evolving. City won the league in 2021 with false 9s. Then a real 9 arrived, Erling Haaland, as Guardiola tweaked and twisted again. Mixing it up, possession, possession, then going long to Haaland if needed. Mixing it up, possession in the centre, then releasing flying wingers Jeremy Doku and Antoine Semenyo.
Guardiola’s legacy? Look at the coaches who learned from him. Enzo Maresca, his likely successor. And Mikel Arteta, Xabi Alonso, Vincent Kompany, Xavi and Luis Enrique. Look at his impact on England. Nico O’Reilly starts at left-back. Phil Foden developed early by Guardiola, not sent out on loan, embedded in the first team early.
He improved John Stones, Rico Lewis and Kyle Walker (who is now retired from England). Guardiola gave James Trafford a run in the cups. He gave Cole Palmer a chance before he craved more starts and went to Chelsea. Others have also moved on after a spell under Guardiola’s enlightened tutelage: Morgan Rogers, Liam Delap, James McAtee, Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
Guardiola has undeniably enjoyed huge resources to call upon during his decade at City. He was able to draft in Marc Guehi and Semenyo in January. The sport still awaits the verdict of the 115 charges of rule breaches, charges which City deny vigorously. But Guardiola's achievements deserve celebrating: 591 games, 416 wins, 20 trophies.
And so to the future. If it is confirmed that Guardiola is leaving after Sunday’s final game of the season, at home to Aston Villa, he will be greatly missed. Maresca is his mooted successor. He knows the club, knows the way Guardiola worked, and can seek to continue that work. It’s a relatively young squad that Guardiola has built. It’s a continuity job. Surely, though, Kompany would have been the man they really wanted. Club legend. But currently embedded at Bayern Munich.
Guardiola's legacy is encouraging innovation, total commitment, near obsession with his work and playing attacking football. This City side are entertainers, playing 4-2-4 at times in the FA Cup final on Saturday. Even if the league is beyond him, the title seized by a coach he helped develop, Guardiola leaves as a winner, with two more trophies this season - and countless memories. Good luck to Guardiola in whatever he does next. #MCFC
The end of an era. The greatest to ever do it.
A manager who changed the entire landscape of English football and brought times to Manchester City we could never even dream about, and achievements that will never be replicated.
Thank you for everything, Pep.
🚨🏆 OFFICIAL: Pep Guardiola has now won 20 TROPHIES in 10 years at Manchester City.
🏆 1x Champions League
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 x6 Premier League
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 x5 League Cup
🏆🏆🏆 x3 FA Cup
🏆🏆🏆 x3 Community Shield
🏆 1x UEFA Super Cup
🏆 1x FIFA Club World Cup
🚨Manchester City are confident their case will be dismissed without punishment, citing CFG’s thorough presentation of evidence and active cooperation with the Premier League; the decision to pursue a confrontational approach was a deliberate choice by the PL. #ManCity@PurplePanel