Pep Guardiola has revealed he plans to take a break from football once his current spell at Manchester City comes to an end, though he remains uncertain about retirement.
The 54-year-old extended his contract with City in November, committing to the club until June 2027. By then, he will have completed 11 years at the Etihad — his longest managerial tenure, following four years at Barcelona and three with Bayern Munich.
During his time at City, Guardiola has overseen a historic period of success, guiding the club to six Premier League titles and their first-ever Champions League triumph as part of a treble in the 2022/23 season. However, this campaign has proven more challenging.
“After my contract with City, I’m going to stop. That’s for sure,” Guardiola told ESPN. “I don’t know if I’ll retire, but I will take a break. I don’t think much about how I’ll be remembered — all coaches want to win, but life moves on quickly.”
He added: “I believe fans of Barcelona, Bayern, and City enjoyed the way my teams played. That’s what matters most to me.”
City, currently fourth in the Premier League, were expected to secure a fifth consecutive title this season. But after a sharp drop in form, they now trail league leaders Liverpool by 21 points with just four games remaining and are battling for a Champions League spot.
Despite reaching a third straight FA Cup final — where they will face Crystal Palace — Guardiola admitted this season has been a difficult one. “I knew we’d drop off at some point, but I didn’t expect it to be this much,” he said. “Still, what we’ve achieved over the last nine or ten years has been incredible.”
In previous comments, Guardiola suggested he wouldn’t take on another club role after City but left the door open to managing a national team in the future.
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