Pep Guardiola, the mastermind behind Manchester City’s glittering era of dominance, isn’t one to mince words. As his team prepares to lock horns with arch-rivals Manchester United this Sunday at Old Trafford, the Catalan tactician has dropped a bombshell that’s reverberating through the football world. With the Premier League champions clawing their way back from a brutal slump, Guardiola admitted that his job might not have survived the season’s rocky patches if he were at any other club. “In other clubs, without the recent success, I would have been sacked, definitely,” he declared, his voice carrying the weight of a man who knows the cutthroat nature of the game all too well. It’s a stark confession from a manager whose trophy cabinet gleams with six Premier League titles and a Champions League crown, yet it underscores the fragile line even legends walk in football’s unforgiving spotlight.
The 2024-25 season has been a rollercoaster for Manchester City, a far cry from the relentless machine that clinched four consecutive league titles. The trouble began late last year, when a 1-2 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup ignited a downward spiral. What followed was a staggering run of just one win in 13 matches across all competitions—a nightmare stretch that saw City tumble to seventh place by Boxing Day. For a club accustomed to dining at the top table, it was a humbling fall. Injuries piled up like storm debris: Erling Haaland, sidelined for up to seven weeks with an ankle injury from an FA Cup clash against Bournemouth; Rodri, the midfield linchpin, out with a knee injury; and a slew of defenders—Nathan Ake, John Stones, and Manuel Akanji—watching from the stands. Guardiola couldn’t hide the toll. “In terms of results, in terms of performance, we dropped unexpectedly,” he said, reflecting on a dip he’d anticipated but never imagined would cut so deep.
Yet, amid the chaos, there’s been a flicker of resurgence. A gritty 2-0 win over Leicester City last week snapped a two-game losing streak, offering a glimpse of the City of old. Now fifth in the table, they’re in the hunt for a Champions League spot—a lifeline Guardiola knows is critical. “Of course, it’s in our hands,” he insisted, his focus laser-sharp on the final eight games. But it’s not just the results that have kept him in the dugout—it’s the faith of City’s hierarchy. “Fortunately, they gave me a vote of confidence to continue,” he said of the board, a rare lifeline in a sport where managers are often the first to fall on the sword. That trust, he believes, stems from the extraordinary past—a decade of success that’s bought him time few others would get. “All of us, the staff, myself, we deserve a chance, after what we had in the past,” he added, a nod to the dynasty he’s built at the Etihad.
Guardiola’s candor reveals a man wrestling with the highs and lows of his craft. He’s no stranger to pressure—his stints at Barcelona and Bayern Munich demanded instant glory, and anything less was a death knell. “In another club, in another environment, we lost a lot of games in the big clubs, it cannot happen,” he mused, contrasting the cutthroat cultures of his former haunts with City’s patience. That patience was cemented in November when he inked a two-year contract extension, tying him to the club until 2027. Even then, as the losses mounted, he’d warned his job could be on the line if the slide didn’t stop. Now, with the Manchester derby looming—live on Sky Sports at 4:30 PM—Guardiola sees a chance to prove the doubters wrong. “I expect a return to the City of old,” he said, a promise laced with hope for next season.
The stakes at Old Trafford couldn’t be higher. United, languishing 14 points behind City after a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest, are desperate to claw back pride. For City, it’s about momentum—another win could solidify their top-five perch, crucial with England’s UEFA coefficient offering a fifth Champions League spot. But Guardiola isn’t blind to the bigger picture. “How many important clubs in the last three, four, or five years have not been playing in the Champions League and still they are there?” he asked rhetorically, shrugging off the doomsday scenario. “The club will find a solution.” It’s classic Guardiola—pragmatic yet defiant, refusing to wallow even as he shoulders the blame for a season that’s tested his genius like never before.
As Sunday approaches, the football world watches a manager at a crossroads. Guardiola’s legacy is secure—six league titles in seven years, a Champions League triumph, and a style that’s redefined the game. Yet, this season’s stumbles have humanized him, exposing the fragility beneath the brilliance. “You cannot win all the competitions you are in,” he said, a reminder that even the best falter. With Haaland sidelined and key players still mending, he’s leaning on the likes of Jack Grealish and Omar Marmoush to spark a revival. Will he steer City back to the summit, or will the derby expose cracks too deep to mend? One thing’s certain: Pep Guardiola isn’t going anywhere quietly—not when there’s a fight left to win.