Manchester City
Haaland: City Must Turn Title Heartache into Motivation for 2026
Haaland urged his teammates to use this disappointment as motivation to reclaim the Premier League..
Erling Haaland left no doubt about the mood in Manchester City’s camp after the final match of the season. Arsenal’s draw clinched the league — their first in 22 years — and City have now failed to win the Premier League for a second successive season, a first in the Guardiola era at the Etihad.
City did secure the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup during 2025–26, but those successes could not erase the sting of missing out on the league. Haaland scored his side’s only goal in stoppage time, converting in the 95th minute, yet that late strike only underscored how narrowly City fell short.
Soon after the final whistle, Haaland spoke to City Studios and set out the standards he expects going forward. “In the end, every game in the Premier League is difficult. We tried. It wasn’t enough,” he said. He added: “The whole club should use this as motivation now. We should be angry, we should feel a fire inside our belly because it’s not good enough. It’s gone two years now. It feels like forever.
“We’re going to do everything we can, everyone that will be here next season, to win the league.”
The runners-up finish is an improvement on last season’s third place, but it remains below the club’s ambitions. Under Guardiola, City previously secured the English crown six times, only falling short once between 2017–18 and 2023–24. That record has made these back-to-back disappointments particularly jarring.
City’s challenge briefly looked salvageable in April when a nine-point deficit to Arsenal disappeared over 11 days, but dropped points at Everton and Bournemouth ultimately sealed their fate. The failure to reclaim the title follows a catastrophic 2024–25 campaign and raises questions about a squad in transition.
Those questions are heightened by reports that Guardiola will leave after a decade in charge, signaling an end of an era at the club. Former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is the frontrunner to replace him. The challenge for any incoming coach is substantial, with Bernardo Silva expected to depart this summer and Rodri possibly linked with Real Madrid.
Football Development
Guardiola to Join City Football Group in Advisory Capacity After Man City Exit
Guardiola will move into a City Football Group role, advising on development across multiple clubs. .
Pep Guardiola will move into an advisory role with the City Football Group after leaving Manchester City at the end of this season. City say he will be “working on specific projects and collaborations.”
The role is described as promoting and advancing the profile of the City Football Group and may also involve applying Guardiola’s knowledge to help processes across the network in Asia, North America and Europe. That work could include identifying, coaching and developing talent at CFG clubs, with the longer-term aim that standout players might eventually be considered for Manchester City. Savinho the biggest success story in that respect to date, having joined City from a fellow CFG club after being on loan with a third.
City Football Group is made up of 11 clubs spread around the world, a mix of wholly owned teams and those held as majority or minority stakes. Notable examples named by the club include New York City and Melbourne City, the first two acquisitions, and Girona, acquired via a 2017 joint-ownership venture with Pere Guardiola. Troyes was bought in 2020 and Palermo in 2022. The group has also held stakes in clubs such as Yokohama F. Marinos and Lommel, and Esporte Clube Bahia is listed among the stable. Mumbai City is noted as a former member, leaving the group in 2025 after six years.
Even with this confirmed CFG position, there is no suggestion Guardiola will stop managing for good. The 55-year-old is expected to take at least a short break from day-to-day duties. The club say he could remain involved with City Football Group if he returns to management, provided there are no conflicts of interest.
The move represents a transition from daily team management to a strategic, multi-club remit, keeping Guardiola connected to the wider organisation he helped build while leaving open the possibility of a future return to coaching.
Manchester City
Guardiola explains why he is leaving Manchester City
He says ‘it’s my time’ to leave Manchester City and thanks the city, the fans and the staff. Eternal.
Pep Guardiola confirmed he will leave Manchester City this summer, saying he simply knows it is “his time” to depart and reflecting on the relationship he has built with the club and the city.
He recalled the early days: “When I arrived, my first interview was with Noel Gallagher. I walked out thinking, ‘O.K., Noel is here? This will be fun,’” and spoke of the bond formed over more than a decade. He asked not for explanations: “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 .”
Guardiola framed his decision in terms of work and community, praising the city’s industrial roots and the determination he felt in supporters and staff. “We worked. We suffered. We fought. And we did things our own way. Our way.” He referenced testing moments that shaped the club and the city, including trips away and shared hardship, and singled out the response to the Manchester Arena attack as an example of the city’s values: “Not anger. Not fear. Just love. Community. Togetherness. A city united.”
He also spoke of private loss and public support: “Remember, losing my mum during COVID and feeling this club carry me through it. The fans, the staff, the people of Manchester, you gave me strength when I needed it most. Cris, my kids, my whole family, you were there as always. Khaldoon, you were there too.”
To supporters he offered thanks: “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for trusting me. Thank you for pushing me. Thank you for loving me.” He closed with a light note and gratitude: “It has been so f—— fun. Love you all.”
Before he arrived at City, Guardiola had already built an exceptional record: a three-time La Liga champion with Barcelona, a three-time Bundesliga winner with Bayern Munich and, at the time of his arrival at City, a two-time European champion.
Chelsea
Chelsea readies legal case over Enzo Maresca after reported City talks
Chelsea to seek compensation if Enzo Maresca joins City after alleged talks while at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea are preparing to pursue compensation from Manchester City if Enzo Maresca is appointed as Pep Guardiola’s successor this summer.
The club’s decision follows a turbulent start to the 2025–26 campaign after Maresca’s acrimonious and unforeseen exit from Stamford Bridge in January. Reports in the Telegraph say Chelsea’s argument rests on an allegation that Maresca informed the club of discussions with Manchester City while he remained employed by Chelsea.
Those close to Maresca have told The Guardian that Chelsea would be “entitled to demand a sizeable compensation package” if City appoint him. Compensation demands are routine where a manager under contract is the subject of interest from another club, though the circumstances here are different.
Maresca is no longer employed by Chelsea, which complicates the standard model for compensation. Nevertheless, the club could attempt to show a causal or perceived link between his departure in January and a later move to Manchester City, even with several months between events.
The rapid breakdown of the relationship between Maresca and Chelsea has not been publicly explained in detail. The published reports suggest the club sees potential culpability in what is described as external contact prior to his departure.
Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali has spoken publicly about the exit, saying Maresca wasn’t fired and his departure was “not a change [Chelsea] wanted to make.” He added that he could not say more for legal reasons.
If Chelsea proceed, the dispute would hinge on the timing and content of conversations that reportedly took place while Maresca was employed at Stamford Bridge and on whether those discussions justify a claim against Manchester City. Any formal legal action would aim to secure compensation should City complete an appointment that follows those reports.
