Pep Guardiola has begun moving belongings out of his Manchester apartment, hours after Manchester City confirmed he will step down as manager on Sunday, ending a trophy-laden 10-year reign. Removal men were seen taking items from his home just days before his final match in charge, against Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola has lived at the Deansgate CitySuites in central Manchester throughout his time at City. The 16-storey building holds 237 one- and two-bedroom apartments, each with its own kitchen and a large living room, and two floors are given over to privately owned units. Guardiola bought his apartment in the building for £2.7 million in 2017.
A move back to Barcelona
Reports emerged this week that Guardiola is looking to return to his home city of Barcelona and is set to buy a luxury property there worth £13.5 million. He leaves City having lifted 17 major trophies, most recently the FA Cup after beating Chelsea, having fallen just short of a seventh Premier League title. Talk over his future has persisted all season, and former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is expected to be announced as his successor.
Guardiola's farewell message
City announced Guardiola's exit on X with a video message from the manager. "When I arrived, my first video was with Noel Gallagher. I walk out thinking, 'oh, Noel is here, this will be fun,'" Guardiola said. "And what a time we have had together. Don't ask me the reasons why I'm leaving. There is no reason. But deep inside I know it's my time. Nothing is eternal. If it was, it would be here."
"Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City," he continued. "This is a city built from work, from graft. You see it in the colour of the bricks. From people who clock in early and who stay late. The factories, the bankers, the unions, the music. Simply, the Industrial Revolution and how this changed the world. I think I grew to understand that, and my teams did, too. We work and we suffer. We fought and we did things our own way. Our way."
Guardiola went on to recall specific moments from his decade in charge. "Hard work comes in many forms. Trips to Bournemouth, when we lost the Premier League and you were there. And trips to Istanbul, when you were there, too," he said. "Remember the Manchester Arena Attack? When the city showed the world what strength actually looks like. Not anger. Not fear. Just love. Community, togetherness, a City united."
He also spoke about losing his mother during the Covid-19 pandemic. "I remember losing my mum during COVID and feeling this club carry me through it. The fans, the staff, the people of Manchester, you gave me strength when I needed it most. Cris, my kids, my whole family, you were there as always. Khaldoon, you were there too," Guardiola said, thanking his wife, Cristina Serra, and City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.
Guardiola then addressed the players directly. "Players, don't forget - every single instant, every single moment, me, my staff, this club, everything. What we have done, we have done it for all of you. And you have been just exceptional. You don't know it yet, but you are leaving a legacy," he said. He closed with a nod to Manchester poet Tony Walsh: "Tony Walsh said in his unforgettable poem this is the place. I'm sorry, Tony: this is my place. Noel...I was right. It has been so f****** fun. Love you all."
A record-breaking decade of trophies
Daily Mail Sport revealed on Monday that Guardiola had finalised his decision to leave the Etihad Stadium, and it is understood he will take a break from coaching. He masterminded a domestic Treble in 2019 and, four years later, became only the second coach of an English team to complete the league, FA Cup and Champions League Treble. City's 2018 squad remain the only team in English history to reach 100 points in a top-flight season, leaving a legacy that should be impossible to match.
Farewell celebrations planned
City have organised a parade on Monday to celebrate both the men's and women's teams, followed by an after-party at the Co-op Live arena next to the Etihad marking the departure of Guardiola and other departing players. The club confirmed on Friday that the Etihad's North Stand expansion will be named after Guardiola, who will also have a statue made in his honour. An additional 7,000 seats will be opened behind one goal for his final match in charge, against Aston Villa on Sunday.