Guardiola to end trophy-laden decade-long spell in charge of Man City at season's end

Josep "Pep" Guardiola announced on Friday that he will leave Manchester City after a phenomenally successful decade at the helm of the Premier League club, with former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca set to replace him.

The Catalan announced his decision ahead of City's final game of the season against Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium, capping a domestic campaign that included winning both the League Cup and the FA Cup trophies, while conceding the league's top spot to Arsenal.

“What a time we have had together,” Guardiola said. “Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside I know it’s my time. Nothing is eternal. If it was, I would be here. Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City.”

“This is a city built from work. From graft. You see it in the colour of the bricks. From people who clocked in early, stayed late. The factories. The Pankhursts. The unions. The music. Simply the industrial revolution and how this changed the world," he added. "And I think I grew to understand that, and my teams did too. We worked. We suffered. We fought. And we did things our own way. Our way.”

Saturday's FA Cup victory over Chelsea secured Guardiola his 20th trophy with the club.

Guardiola, who was one of the great defensive midfielders of his generation for FC Barcelona and Roma before hanging his boots and turning to coaching, is a vocal supporter of the Palestinians against Israel. 

Donning the keffiyeh on one occasion, he said "I am not neutral. I am Palestinian." 

"I stand with the oppressed, and the oppressed here is Palestine. ​No one wants to talk about the facts. Fine, I will speak." 

Critics have linked fiery anti-Israel rhetoric seeking to demonize the Jewish state with the spike in antisemitic attacks in Britain, including deadly incidents in Manchester.