Unsure over long-term at City, says Guardiola

Pep Guardiola cast doubt over his long-term future at Manchester City on Sunday after winning a historic fourth straight Premier League title, admitting it is difficult to find motivation after so much sustained success. City’s 3-1 victory against West Ham sealed a sixth top-flight title in seven seasons under the Catalan, who has taken the club to extraordinary new levels since he arrived in 2016.
His tally is exceeded only by Alex Ferguson, who won 13 Premier League titles during his long reign at Manchester United. In 2019 City became the first club to win the domestic treble of Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup in the same season and last year they emulated Manchester United’s class of 1999 in winning the treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, which they lifted for the first time.
City are now the first side in English top-flight history to win four titles in a row – surpassing the achievements of the great Liverpool and Manchester United teams from previous eras.
And next week they will attempt to become the first English side to win back to back domestic doubles when they take on United at Wembley in the FA Cup final.
Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager Guardiola, 53, has a contract at the Etihad until the end of next season but his future after that is unclear. “The reality is I’m closer to leaving than to staying,” Guardiola said. “It’s eight years, will be nine. Right now my feeling is I want to stay next season. We talked with the club, we have time to talk next season because I have to see the players as well (to see) if they follow me, they follow us, for many reasons. I will stay and during the season we will talk when calm.”
Asked at his post-match press conference whether he felt as though he had “completed English football” and what he felt was left to achieve, Guardiola shrugged his shoulders and said: “I had that feeling last season. When we won in Istanbul (in the Champions League final) I said, ‘It’s over, what am I doing here? It’s over, there’s nothing left’.
“But I have a contract, I’m here and still enjoying. Some of the moments I’m a bit tired but some of the moments I love, and after I said ‘OK, we are here’. We start winning games, playing good, different players, new players and I start to think about ‘No one has done four in a row, why don’t we try?’ And now I feel ‘It’s done, so what next?’ I don’t know right now.”
He added: “Next season, right now, I’m not able to know exactly what will be the motivation to do it because it’s difficult sometimes to find it when everything is done.”
Guardiola said for now he was enjoying basking in the glow of another Premier League triumph. “When I moved here if someone had said I would win six leagues in seven seasons I would say you’re insane – no way,” he said.
Meanwhile, City’s season-long winning mentality propelled them to overtake Arsenal in the Premier League, midfielder Rodri said. Rodri scored as City beat West Ham United 3-1 at the Etihad on Sunday to win the title two points ahead of Arsenal, who chased them all the way into the final day of an exhilarating season.
City’s finished on 91 points while Arsenal, with 89, had to settle for the runners-up spot for a second straight season despite winning 2-1 at home against Everton. Asked what made the difference, Rodri said it came down to the mentality the two teams possessed.
“Arsenal also they deserve (praise), they had an unbelievable season, but I think the difference was in here,” the Spaniard said pointing to his head.
The 27-year-old highlighted Arsenal’s defensive display at the Etihad in late March which ended in a goalless draw as champions City failed to score despite dominating with 72% possession.
“When they faced us at the Etihad, I saw them and said ‘Ah, these guys, they don’t want to beat us, they just want a draw’ And that mentality, I don’t think we would do it the same way. And we caught them (in the title race). At the end, if you give us one point, we will win the last seven, eight games even though it’s so tough. So I think that shows our mentality.”
City have a chance to win another trophy this season as they face Manchester United in the FA Cup final next weekend. “It’s also so important for us to do the double,” Rodri added.