Pep Guardiola has announced that he will take a break from management after leaving Manchester City, although he is uncertain about when he will retire.
In November, Guardiola signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the club until June 2027. By that time, the 54-year-old will have spent 11 years at City, following a four-year tenure as manager of Barcelona and three years at Bayern Munich.
“After my contract with City, I’m going to stop. I’m sure of that,” Guardiola stated. “I don’t know if I will retire, but I will take a break.”
In an interview with Sky Sports on Friday, Guardiola emphasized that he does not plan to leave City immediately or at the end of the current season.
“I didn’t say I’m leaving now or at the end of the season or when my contract ends. What I said is that when my time here is finished—be it in one, two, three, four, or five years—I will take a break. I won’t retire, but I will take a break.”
Guardiola has overseen the most successful period in Manchester City’s history, leading the team to win six of the past nine Premier League titles, as well as the club’s first Champions League title as part of a Treble in the 2022-23 season.
This season, City has not reached their previous heights and currently sits fourth in the table with four games left to play.
“How I want to be remembered, I don’t know,” Guardiola remarked. “I want people to remember me however they wish. All coaches want to win so we can make our jobs memorable, but I believe the fans of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and City enjoyed watching my teams play.”
City still has a chance to finish the season with silverware, as they prepare to face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final on May 17.
