Guardiola reflects on emotional Manchester City exit after decade of success
By Joel Masibo, May 23, 2026Outgoing Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he leaves the club feeling fulfilled after bringing an end to a remarkable 10-year spell at the Etihad Stadium.
The Spaniard will oversee his final match on Sunday when City host Aston Villa, closing the curtain on a historic era in which he guided the club to 20 major honours and became the most successful coach in City’s history.
End of an era
Speaking during his last pre-match press conference, Guardiola admitted the moment was emotional as he reflected on his journey with the club.
“Yeah, really satisfied, I don’t know the right words. Satisfied, happy, proud,” he said.
“It’s been the experience of my life I would say, otherwise I would not be here 10 years. I could not be more grateful for the amount of love and affection I’ve known not just in these days but for many years.”
City also confirmed that the redeveloped North Stand at the Etihad Stadium will now carry Guardiola’s name in recognition of his achievements. The newly named ‘Pep Guardiola Stand’ will officially open fully for the first time during his farewell game.
Planned departure
The former FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach explained that his departure was not a sudden choice, but rather something he had considered over time.
“It’s the time,” he added. “I didn’t wake up one day and say now is the time to leave. It’s a process I felt for a while. The club respect me unbelievably for the decision, they have to of course be ready and I felt it,” he said.
“This job is every few days for many years, Selhurst Park, Anfield, Madrid, FA Cup. Now I have to live my life and see what happens. And 10 years is a lot of time and I think the club needs a new manager and new energy with these incredible players we have now, they’ll start to write another chapter,” Guardiola stated.
Guardiola originally joined City on a three-year agreement in 2016 but remained far longer than anticipated as he transformed the club into one of Europe’s dominant forces.
Reflecting on how long he expected to stay in Manchester, he joked: “Not 10 years! I came for three years and said we will see what happens. The rest is history. We continued because we were comfortable, both parts the club and myself. It helped a lot that Txiki [Begiristain] was here, Ferran [Soriano] was here, we met each other. They are incredibly protective. Of course the titles help you continue but this support helps you win the titles and continue. It’s so important.” Pep Guardiola said.