Pep Guardiola is set to leave Manchester City at the end of the season, with the news breaking on Monday night, and Gary Neville has been left stunned by the timing of the announcement
Pep Guardiola and Manchester City will be “extremely disappointed” that news of the Spaniard’s impending departure has emerged the night before a match.
That’s according to Gary Neville, who has declared he is “surprised” it leaked on Monday that Guardiola will quit City at the end of the campaign.
During Arsenal’s Premier League encounter with Burnley, the Daily Mail revealed that Guardiola will leave City following their final fixture of the season against Aston Villa on Sunday. The timing comes less than 24 hours before City travel to take on Bournemouth in a pivotal clash in the Premier League title race.
JOIN US ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page
Offering his thoughts on the news of Guardiola’s exit, Neville, who was serving as co-commentator at the Arsenal match for Sky Sports, said: “I’m surprised that it’s broken right now.
“Not just because it’s during this match but it’s the night before a Man City game. Something like that is game-changer news. I think of being in school and the news of Kenny Dalglish leaving Liverpool, or Sir Alex Ferguson leaving Man Utd and Jurgen Klopp leaving Liverpool recently.
“They’re just such huge moments in football, and I don’t see it’s news Man City would let get out or would want out. If it is true, Man City will be extremely disappointed that has broken now and so will Pep Guardiola.”
Guardiola guided City to FA Cup glory on Saturday as they defeated Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley. And that could prove to be the final trophy for the Catalan as City manager following a silverware-packed decade at the helm, reports the Mirror.
City retain a slim possibility of claiming the Premier League crown, but must triumph in their final two fixtures against Bournemouth and Villa while hoping Arsenal stumble at Crystal Palace.
Since arriving at the Etihad Stadium in 2016, Guardiola has steered City to six Premier League titles including an unprecedented four consecutive triumphs. He also delivered the Blues their maiden Champions League success alongside three FA Cups, five League Cups and three Community Shields.
The ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich chief had been widely expected to depart City at the campaign’s conclusion, and the club have now started informing key stakeholders ahead of Sunday’s official announcement.
Guardiola’s legacy at City will then be honoured with an open-top bus parade through Manchester on Monday featuring his squad plus the women’s and academy teams.
Enzo Maresca, the former Leicester City and Chelsea manager, has reportedly agreed terms to succeed Guardiola at City. He served as one of Guardiola’s coaching staff at City during the 2022/23 campaign before departing to take over at the Foxes.