Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is a man under pressure after a dreadful run of form - and it's not the first time the Spaniard has found himself in this situation
Under-fire Pep Guardiola's 11-word message after calling it quits at Barcelona could cause serious concern at Manchester City.
City slumped to a ninth defeat from their past 12 games after losing 2-1 at Aston Villa on Saturday. The setback places even greater pressure on Guardiola and contrasts sharply with the club's past achievements under his care, including the historic treble of 2023.
The club's feckless run of form is a stark reminder that time catches up to even the most seemingly invulnerable outfits. Barcelona once ascended to European dominion under Guardiola before he felt compelled to depart in 2012. He later cited motivational challenges, mirroring issues that could be emerging in the city.
"I felt as if I could no longer lift the team," said Guardiola in an interview with Audi in 2014, and those 11 words may well worry City supporters. He added: "We were incredibly successful. Winning 14 trophies in only four years was the greatest period in the club's history. But gradually I found it more and more difficult to motivate myself and to motivate the team. That is when you know it is time to walk away."
Much like that iconic Barcelona team, City have witnessed a decline and are in need of a revamp. The club currently finds itself in seventh place in the Premier League, 22nd in the Champions League standings and has already been eliminated from the Carabao Cup.
Guardiola, 53, has won six Premier League titles from a possible eight since arriving on English shores in the summer of 2016. However, their recent slump demonstrates that even they are not exempt from the effects of Father Time.
Players such as Kyle Walker (34), Ederson (31), Ilkay Gundogan (34) and the injury-prone Kevin De Bruyne (33) have come under scrutiny as possibly being past their sell-by dates at City. And with a number of senior contracts set to expire in 2026 and 2027 (including Guardiola's), it seems City may be approaching the end of an era.
The club are awaiting the verdict on 115 charges of alleged spending violations. Serious allegations of improper spending and financial doping have loomed over the club for some time now, with the decision expected to be delivered sometime in early 2025.
Between this uncertainty and the recent mess caused by on-field results, it appears those at the Etihad are indeed struggling for motivation. And it wouldn't be the first time this issue has led Guardiola to sever ties with a club out of concern he can no longer get the best out of his players.
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