Pep Guardiola decides to leave Man City after Villa showdown

Pep Guardiola will step down as Manchester City manager after Sunday’s Premier League finale against Aston Villa, according to the Daily Mail.

The 55-year-old is expected to officially confirm his departure before Monday’s planned open-top bus parade.

Man City have reportedly informed several commercial partners that a historic announcement is imminent.

Guardiola will leave the Etihad Stadium after ten glittering years in Manchester, transforming City into the defining force of modern English football.

He guided City to 20 major trophies, including six Premier League titles and the club’s first-ever Champions League crown.

His City side rewrote the record books with their unprecedented run of four consecutive Premier League triumphs.

The Cityzens also set new standards for possession football, tactical innovation and domestic consistency.

Guardiola still has a year remaining on his contract, but speculation around his future has intensified for months.

The Spanish tactician repeatedly hinted at uncertainty whenever questioned publicly, and it now appears he has decided the time is right to walk away.

There remains a possibility Guardiola could retain a role within the wider City Football Group structure.

However, his spell on the touchline looks set to conclude after Sunday’s Premier League decider at the Etihad.

City’s season is not over just yet. They remain locked in a tense title battle with Arsenal and face Bournemouth on Tuesday before the emotional farewell against Villa.

Attention has already turned towards who could replace the greatest manager in the club’s history, with Enzo Maresca and Vincent Kompany emerging as leading contenders.

Maresca appears to be the standout candidate.

The Italian knows the inner workings of City after serving under Guardiola and has rapidly built a reputation as one of Europe’s sharpest young coaches.

His positional approach mirrors many of Guardiola’s core principles, but he also brings a calmer pragmatism that could help this City side evolve into their next phase.

After impressing and winning titles during his time at Chelsea, Maresca has shown he can handle pressure, develop young talent and maintain elite tactical standards.

Replacing Guardiola is impossible in many ways, but City may struggle to find a manager better prepared for the task than Maresca.