PEP GUARDIOLA DISMISSES EXIT RUMORS: “I AM HAPPY” WITH 18 MONTHS LEFT AT MAN CITY
Pep Guardiola breaks silence on his Man City future, calling replacement rumours "speculation" while Maresca pledges stay at Chelsea.
Pep Guardiola said he’s “happy” at Manchester City. He also told fans that the rumours about him leaving pop up every year.
David Ornstein from The Athletic wrote that some people at the club think this might be Guardiola’s last season. They're even thinking about Enzo Maresca from Chelsea as a possible replacement.
Guardiola, who's 54, has been managing in the Premier League longer than anyone else right now. He signed a new two-year deal last season that keeps him with City until 2027, which would be his 11th season there.
Last year, City didn't win any big trophies, which is pretty unusual under Guardiola, who has led them to six Premier League titles. But this year, they look like they could win the Premier League and Champions League again.
Guardiola said he has 18 months left on his contract, so he's not planning on leaving soon. He said there are “no talks” about his future right now.
People have been asking me about this for the last few years,” Guardiola said. “At some point, maybe when I'm 75 or 76, I'll leave Manchester City. I get why people ask when my contract is almost up, but I still have 18 months left.
“I’m very happy with how the team is doing. But people ask this question every season.
I'm doing fine. The club and I are on the same page when it comes to making decisions, so whatever happens will happen.
“We aren't talking about it. That's it. "I won't be here forever," I said that a while ago. Nobody is here forever.
“But we aren't having discussions. Whatever will be, will be. Of course, the club needs to be ready for anything, just like with players and the CEO.
The owners are the only exception, unless they decide to sell the club, which I don't think will happen. Everyone else needs to be prepared. But we aren't talking about that right now.”
When someone asked Guardiola if he could promise he'd still be managing Manchester City next season, he replied, "I already answered that. I'm here. Who knows what will happen?
“Even if I had a 10-year contract, things change quickly in football. Right now, I’m thinking about West Ham and spending time with my dad. Then I'll be back for the games against Nottingham Forest, Sunderland, Chelsea, Brighton, and everything else that's coming up.”
Earlier on Friday, Chelsea's manager, Maresca, said that the reports about him replacing Guardiola were “just rumours.” He has a contract with Chelsea until 2029 and used to be one of Guardiola’s assistants at City.
“I’ve said it many times, I’m only focused on this club, and I’m happy to be here,” Maresca said. “It’s just rumours. A week ago, the same thing was happening in Italy with Juventus. I don’t worry about it because I know it’s not true.
“It’s just speculation. I don’t care at all. I’m focused on the game against Newcastle. It’s an important and difficult game.”
THE REAL: REASON JEREMY DOKU BELIEVES THE NEXT FOUR GAMES WILL DEFINE CITY’S SEASON
Jeremy Doku praises City's pride after Bernardo Silva's red card, eyeing redemption in Sunday's Carabao Cup final.
Jérémy Doku sees winning the Carabao Cup as a helpful way for Manchester City to bounce back from their Champions League disappointment. After being knocked out by Real Madrid for the third consecutive year, with a 5-1 aggregate loss in the round of 16, the team faces a tough challenge to regroup quickly.
Pep Guardiola's squad now has to shift focus to their upcoming trip to Wembley, where they’ll take on Arsenal on Sunday. Despite the setback in Europe, Doku feels that lifting a trophy this week would help erase the recent frustration.
He said, “It’s a good way to recover. We’ll do everything we can to win that game and bring home a trophy. The next four matches really matter. We have to recover well for Sunday and then take it one game at a time.”
What lies ahead will likely define the city's season. After the Carabao Cup final, they face an FA Cup quarterfinal against Liverpool following the international break, as well as two critical Premier League games against Chelsea and Arsenal.
“There’s still plenty at stake,” Doku added. “We’re competing in three different competitions, with three trophies still on the table. If we manage to win one, it’ll still be a strong season for us. Of course, missing out on the Champions League is disappointing. It’s always a special trophy. But we have to learn from those games against Real Madrid, recover properly, and focus on what’s next.”
City endured a tough week, following a 3-0 loss in Madrid with a narrow 2-1 defeat at the Etihad. One pivotal moment was Bernardo Silva’s early red card in the second leg.
Yet, Doku draws some confidence from how the team performed despite being down to 10 men against such a formidable opponent.
“We have reasons to be proud,” he reflected. “Playing against a team like Real Madrid with one less player and still causing them problems isn’t something every team can do. We didn’t get the win, but we can look each other in the eye knowing we gave a good performance both with 11 players and with 10. We created chances and played well.”
He went on to say, “If we bring that kind of effort to every match, we’ll trouble many teams. There are valuable takeaways from this game that we can carry into the next.”
WHY PEP GUARDIOLA CANCELLED TRAINING BEFORE MANCHESTER CITY’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE REMATCH
Pep Guardiola cancels Manchester City training to combat fatigue ahead of the 3-0 comeback attempt vs Real Madrid.
Pep Guardiola has shared his reasoning for skipping training the day before Manchester City’s crucial Champions League last-16 second leg against Real Madrid at the Etihad. Facing a tough three-goal deficit from their 3-0 loss at the Bernabeu last week, City are up against the difficult task of overturning this against a team that has won Europe’s top trophy 15 times.
Historically, only four teams have managed to claw back a gap of three or more goals in the knockout stages, so the challenge ahead is immense. Guardiola acknowledges his players will need to deliver an almost flawless performance if they hope to stage a remarkable comeback on home turf. Still, he remains hopeful they will create plenty of scoring chances against Alvaro Arbeloa’s side.
In a somewhat unexpected move, Guardiola has decided to give his first team a day off on Monday, opting for a light session just hours before kickoff on Tuesday. At Monday’s press conference, he explained the logic behind this approach, citing the fatigue from travel and recent matches. After returning late from Madrid, then heading to London for a Premier League draw against West Ham, the players have had a packed schedule. Guardiola feels a day of rest will serve them better than trying to squeeze in more training.
He further emphasised the mental aspect, pointing out that mental strength plays a big role in how well they perform. He plans to assess the players’ condition and conduct training on Tuesday afternoon. With travel taking its toll and players spontaneously connecting with their families, he believes keeping them relaxed and fresh is crucial.
Captain Bernardo Silva, who was the only City player present for media duties, supported Guardiola’s decision. He reflected on past occasions when the team took rest days following both wins and losses, trusting the manager’s judgement to help them regroup and come back stronger.
On team news, Guardiola revealed he has most of his starting lineup settled, though one spot remains uncertain. Josko Gvardiol (tibial fracture) and Rico Lewis (ankle) are sidelined, but Mateo Kovacic has returned to the bench after recovering from a lengthy ankle and heel injury. With these preparations in place, City will be charging into a daunting but pivotal night against one of Europe’s giants.
