After guiding Manchester City to a first-ever four consecutive league titles in the English Premier League (EPL), Pep Guardiola has left the door open for a fresh start.
Guardiola, who joined City in 2016, has a contract that expires in 2025 and has been cautious about extending his time with the club, saying he has accomplished all he can at the club.
City defeated West Ham United 3-1 at home in the final 38 rounds of the 2023-2024 EPL season at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, on Tuesday (Jan. 20).
With the win, City finished the season with 28 wins, seven draws, and three losses (91 points), leapfrogging Arsenal atop the league.
Guardiola, who led City to the league title, hinted at a possible parting of ways after the game, telling British outlet Sky Sports, 스포츠토토 "It's more realistic for me to leave than to stay."
"I want to stay with the team next season and we will probably talk about it during the (next) season," he said, but he was cautious: "But we have to wait and see if we can stay together for eight or nine years (through a contract extension)."
Guardiola added: "After winning three titles last season, I thought, 'It's over. What am I going to do here? "But I had a contract and I thought, 'No one has ever won four league titles in a row,' so I went for it," he said.
True to his word, the potential parting of ways seems to have come about because there is nothing more to accomplish at City.
After winning the league title for four consecutive seasons starting in 2020-2021, City became the first team in the league to lose four consecutive titles.
Manchester United, under former manager Sir Alex Ferguson, only won three in a row twice before, from 1999 to 2001 and 2007 to 2009.
After winning the league, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League (UCL) last season, Guardiola's City won the league title once again this season, and won virtually everything else.
Guardiola's future is unclear for next season, but he's refocused for the remainder of the schedule.
City will go for another trophy in the 2023-2024 FA Cup final on May 25 at 11pm in the Manchester derby.
"I have a feeling that it's over," Guardiola said. I don't know what's next, but for now the FA Cup will be next," said Guardiola. 온라인 슬롯 "From what I've heard, no team has ever won the EPL and FA Cup in two consecutive seasons. It's a rivalry, so hopefully the players will enjoy (the league title) for two or three days and then prepare for the final for another two or three days."
City also met their 'rivals' in last season's FA Cup final, winning the trophy.
