Guardiola Ends 10-Year City Reign Before Aston Villa — Live Premier League Table
Pep Guardiola has ended his 10-year Manchester City reign and will take charge of his final game on Sunday against Aston Villa at Etihad Stadium, a move that lands after the club lost the 2025-26 Premier League title to Arsenal. The live premier league table now sits against a changing era at City, with a new manager expected to inherit a squad that won 17 major trophies under Guardiola.
Guardiola and Aston Villa
Guardiola said Manchester City need “new energy” and told the squad on Friday morning that he is stepping away after a decade in charge. “Ten years is a lot of time and I think the club needs a new manager, new energy, these incredible players we have right now and start to write another chapter,” he said at his final pre-match press conference.
He added: “I feel I would not have the energy [in the future] required to daily, every three days, to fight for the title, being in front of the players.” The Villa match is the last stop of a spell that delivered six Premier League titles and one Champions League victory, along with the FA Cup and League Cup in his final campaign.
City’s north stand tribute
City’s newly developed north stand will be named after Guardiola, and it will be fully open for the first time in the club’s closing game of the season against Aston Villa. A statue will also be built for him and placed on the approach to the stand, tying his exit to a visible mark at Etihad Stadium.
That tribute arrives three days after Arsenal were crowned 2025-26 Premier League champions after a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on Tuesday, the latest twist in a title race that ended City’s hold on the league this season. Guardiola shared his decision with the squad on Friday morning and later called his speech to them “a disaster,” saying, “I was so nervous, more than ever.”
Maresca and City’s next step
Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is the frontrunner to replace Guardiola, giving City a named front-runner as they move from a decade under one manager to the search for the next one. Guardiola also said in a video announcement published earlier on Friday: “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.”
For supporters heading into Sunday, the day carries two clear markers: Guardiola’s last match in charge and the first full opening of the north stand under his name. The club leaves the weekend with a title already gone to Arsenal and a new chapter waiting at the end of the season.
