Even the legendary manager has his limits, but few would dare label Pep Guardiola a quitter.
After a poor 2-1 loss against Aston Villa on Saturday, the under-fire Manchester City manager is still under increasing pressure. Despite Phil Foden’s late consolation, City lost for the ninth time in their past twelve games, which increased the attention on Guardiola.
It’s a far cry from the great heights to which the team has reached under his leadership, as evidenced by the historic 2023 treble victory. However, it appears that not even City can afford to maintain their success indefinitely, and supporters have been reminded of how Barcelona reached the pinnacle of Europe under Guardiola until he was forced to depart in 2012.
Similar to this City team, Barcelona won everything under Guardiola’s leadership and were acclaimed as possibly the greatest team in history. However, the Catalan said that his success came at a price, as he quickly found it difficult to inspire his team.
In a 2014 interview with Audi, Guardiola stated, “We had tremendous success.” “The best time in the club’s history was when they won 14 titles in just four years.
But over time, I discovered that it was getting harder and harder to inspire the team and myself. You realize it’s time to leave at that point.
Due to worries about an aging roster, City has fallen from those exhilarating highs, much like that Barcelona team of 2012. The team has already been eliminated from the Carabao Cup and is currently ranked seventh in the Premier League and twenty-second in the redesigned Champions League rankings.
Guardiola, 53, won his first Premier League trophy in his second campaign at City, and the club has gained five more top-flight trophies to its cabinet in the six seasons since then. But their recent fall from grace indicates they are not immune to the cyclical nature of sport.
Some have criticized Kyle Walker (34), Ederson (31), Ilkay Gundogan (34), and Kevin De Bruyne (33), who is prone to injuries, for being past his prime at City. Guardiola’s deal is among a number of senior contracts that City may be nearing the end of an era with, as they expire in 2026 and 2027.
Be the first to comment