Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City exit will bring excitement and dread

His final game in charge will be on Sunday against Aston Villa, and his tenure will be celebrated with a parade through the streets of Manchester, followed by a party at the Co-op Live arena the following day.

While reports had more or less confirmed Guardiola’s departure earlier in the week, the news becoming official is still a shock after the Catalan said he is yet to decide after losing to Bournemouth, a result which ended this season's title race.

Guardiola’s 10 years in England has not just transformed the Premier League, but football at all levels.

Teams lower down the pyramid are attempting to play their own brand of Guardiola football, while City have dominated the top flight with the trophy cabinet bursting with six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, five League Cups, and one Champions League courtesy of the 55-year-old.

At some point, City knew they would have to move on from Guardiola, his intense personality and desire for a challenge meant he would not be at the Etihad forever.

Now that time has come, and amongst all the celebrations of Guardiola’s tenure that will take place over the next few days, there is a sense of excitement, but also dread of what the future holds for City.

Maresca ushers in new era and ideas for City

It’s no secret that former Chelsea manager and Guardiola assistant Enzo Maresca will be taking over.

It was reported as early as January that he was making arrangements to take charge at the Etihad, but when Maresca’s name was being linked with City, it was greeted with a negative reaction.

Immediately, City fans think of Maresca’s troubled time at Chelsea, but one thing that must be reiterated, he was dealing with a basket case of a boardroom at Stamford Bridge. City’s is more stable and makes sure there is a strong working relationship between the manager and those at the top who make the big decisions.

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Maresca may not be the innovator like Guardiola, but he is not afraid to implement his own ideas.

The decision to move John Stones from defence to midfield in City’s Treble winning season was a Maresca innovation, Guardiola trusted him, and it worked with Stones winning Man of the Match when City beat Inter Milan 1-0 in Istanbul to win the Champions League.

Maresca will not want to completely rip up the rule book. He will need to ease a squad of players into his philosophy, so there will be stumbles along the way, but City fans should be encouraged by a fresh pair of eyes, and it could be what’s just needed to return this team to the summit of English and European football.

Then there is the added motivation to prove his doubters wrong. Maresca has big shoes to fill, so while he may not be as outgoing a character as Guardiola, he will be eager to mould this City team in his own image and show why he is the right man for the job.

City will have to suffer setbacks before getting better

The 2025/26 campaign will mark the first time Guardiola has not won a Premier League title for two successive season, and despite winning this season’s League and FA Cups, to some it will be an underwhelming return.

That thirst for silverware will be there once Maresca’s arrival is made official, and with City’s talented players, do not be surprised if the club are expecting at least one domestic trophy come the end of 2026/27 season.

However, Guardiola’s first season in charge in 2016 was one of transition and adaptability, and it would be no surprise if something similar occurs with Maresca.

The Italian is apparently already preparing transfer plans, and there could be some wholesale changes with Nico Gonzalez and Tijjani Reijnders rumoured to be on the chopping block.

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This summer's World Cup does not help Maresca either. He will not be able to work with the likes of Erling Haaland, Nico O’Reilly, Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki until the eve of the new season, meaning it may take a while until the Italian’s philosophy takes full effect.

There will be bumps in the road, and those associated with City, either inside the club or fans, need to prepare themselves for the heat likely to come their way. Especially with Arsenal seeing this as the prime opportunity to attempt their stranglehold on the English topflight.

But just like City before the Sheikh Mansour takeover 18 years ago, a club has to endure the bad times before the good, and while Maresca’s City will not be battling to avoid Premier League relegation, do not be surprised if City are a work in progress and struggle in the early stages of 2026/27 campaign before returning to the peak of their powers.

How to watch the Premier League in Canada

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