London (AFP) – Spaniard Pep Guardiola, one of the most influential and successful coaches of the 21st century, has extended his contract with Manchester City for two years until 2027, at a time when the European giant appears weakened on and off the field .
4 mins
Will leave, will not leave? The question has generated a lot of ink in recent weeks. And the 53-year-old Catalan, appointed in 2016 and who was at the end of his contract in June 2025, had taken care to constantly dodge it.
“ I’ve said it many times before, but I have everything a manager could want, and I appreciate it immensely. I hope we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. This will be my priority “, declared “Pep” in the press release formalizing its extension, Thursday.
After the disappointment of a first season (2016-2017) ending 15 points behind champion Chelsea, the club with the sky blue jersey won six of the seven titles in the Premier League, probably the toughest championship in the world.
Guardiola also managed to offer the “Citizens” their first Champions League, in 2023, two years after a first European final lost against Chelsea, again.
In total, the former coach of FC Barcelona (2008-2012) and Bayern Munich (2013-2016) has won fifteen major trophies in eight seasons, a haul that includes two FA Cup titles, four in the FA Cup. League, a European Super Cup and a Club World Cup.
Legal battle
“Man City” and its wealthy Emirati owners can breathe a sigh of relief at the idea of retaining the architect of their greatest successes, at a time when clouds are gathering.
Sportingly, the English team remains on four defeats in a row, in all competitions, a series which can partly be explained by the long-term injury of Spanish defensive midfielder Rodri, the current Golden Ball.
“ I felt like I couldn’t leave now, it’s that simple “, Guardiola said in an interview with the club website. “ Don’t ask me why. Maybe the four losses were why I felt I couldn’t leave “.
Off the field, the club from the northwest of England is also engaged in an unprecedented legal battle with the Premier League, organizer of the championship, which accuses it of having committed financial embezzlement after the arrival of the Emirati owners in 2008.
He denies any offense, but risks heavy sporting sanctions if found guilty, for example a withdrawal of points or even exclusion from the English professional championships.
The recent departure of football director Txiki Begiristain, a close friend of Guardiola, had also cast a veil of uncertainty around his future.
72% wins
“ City’s empire faces a series of challenges that will test Guardiola’s genius “, wrote The Guardian in its Thursday edition, evoking pell-mell “ the threat of a sanction in the Premier League ” or the renewal of a ” aging team “.
In the meantime, the Spaniard will continue to delight Manchester City supporters with his tactical knowledge, his innovations and his rage to win, largely perceptible on the sidelines.
He will also continue to lead nice duels with his former assistants who have become number one, like Mikel Arteta and Enzo Maresca, the respective coaches of Arsenal and Chelsea.
“ I’m delighted that Pep’s journey at Manchester City will continue, allowing his dedication, passion and innovative thinking to continue to shape the football landscape », noted its president, Emirati businessman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.
In England, Guardiola transformed his team into a victory-hungry armada, as he had previously done at Barcelona and Bayern, but over a much longer period of time.
In addition to his multiple trophies, he has won 353 of the 490 matches he has managed from the Manchester City bench (72% wins), according to figures provided by the club. During this period, the team also scored 1,200 goals, or 2.45 per match.