"After City, I'm going to stop": Guardiola considers a break after his contract ends

Pep Guardiola is going through a complicated 2024-25 season at the helm of Manchester City. Despite having conquered the Community Shield and having the opportunity to win the FA Cup on May 17 against Crystal Palace, the 'citizen' team has left feelings of insufficiency in other key competitions.

In the Premier League, the 'Sky Blues' have seen their streak of four consecutive titles (2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24) interrupted, ceding the championship to Liverpool, which has already been proclaimed champion of the 2024-25 season. In turn, in the UEFA Champions League, the 'celeste' team was eliminated in the round of 16 'play-offs' by Real Madrid with a global score of 6-3, which generated questions about the continuity of Guardiola's project and the need for a renewal in the squad.

Now, when talking about a possible renewal of the project, it was inevitable to ask if Pep's continuity as coach was in doubt for the future. However, Manchester City dispelled any speculation by backing their coach with a contract renewal, signed in November 2024 and valid until June 30, 2027. That year, by the way, could be key in Guardiola's career, especially after his recent statements to 'ESPN Brasil', where he revealed an important piece of information about his future.

Guardiola plans to take a break after the end of his contract with Manchester City

If he fulfills his entire contract with Manchester City, or if both parties decide to end their relationship early, the Catalan coach's career could be coming to an end or, at least, a temporary pause. This was acknowledged by Guardiola himself:

"After my contract with City, I'm going to stop. I'm sure. I don't know if I'm going to retire, but I'm going to take a break."

The coach of the 'Sky Blue' team also reflected on the legacy he leaves in each club. "All coaches want to win to have a memorable job, but I think the fans of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City had fun watching my teams play. I don't think we should live thinking about whether we will be remembered," Pep pointed out.

"The fans of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City had fun watching my teams play"

With 39 titles in his record, Guardiola is one of the most successful coaches in history, but his vision of recognition goes beyond trophies. "When we die, our families cry for two or three days and then it's over: they forget you. In the career of coaches, there are good and bad, and the important thing is that the good ones are remembered for longer. I'll tell you that the most important thing is not what people think of you; after all, our lives as footballers have been very good. There are new challenges as a coach; I don't know what will happen in the future and in the end that doesn't matter," he said.

Pep Guardiola's record in his career as a coach:

Guardiola clarifies his words and rules out an immediate departure

Given the repercussion of his statements, Guardiola clarified that he has no plans to leave the club immediately: "I have not said that I am leaving now or at the end of the season. What I am saying is that when my time here is over, I don't know in one, two, three, four, five or six years... I will take a break! I will not retire, but I will take a break, for sure," he said.

Now we will have to see what finally happens in this matter: if Pep ends up taking a definitive break in his prolific career, or if it is just a sabbatical period, like the one he took after leaving FC Barcelona. On that occasion, he waited 11 months before returning to the bench, resuming his career to take over the reins of Bayern Munich, and since then he has not stopped.