After winning 20 trophies, Spaniard to bid farewell

After all, the only farewell Pep Guardiola neglected to choreograph was his own.

After ten years at Manchester City, he was introduced to the art of farewell, tearfully saying on Sergio Agüero’s departure: “We can’t replace him. We can’t.”

His words have never felt more appropriate than today, with perhaps the greatest genius English football has ever known leaving threatening to leave a crater in the domestic game.

However, the real problem for both the club and the coach is timing.

There is an art to making such a shocking announcement and the final week of the Premier League season, with City technically still in contention for another domestic treble, is certainly not the moment.

There can never be a middle ground when you lose such a transcendent figure. When news of Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement emerged in May 2013, it had a sensational impact and came in just enough time for him to be given a guard of honor at his final home game at Old Trafford.

It also helped that Manchester United had already clinched the title. Jurgen Klopp, by contrast, made the mistake of announcing he would leave Liverpool in January 2024, delivering a heartfelt video message to fans but then watching the club’s campaign turn into a lap of honor tour long enough to put Frank Sinatra to shame.

Guardiola was scrupulous about eliminating any guesswork and repeatedly answered questions by insisting he had a year left on his contract. Now these plans are in ruins.

This week was supposed to be a full work week; The Spaniard was so serious about sabotaging Arsenal’s quest for glory that he didn’t even let his players have a beer after their FA Cup victory over Chelsea.

A win at Bournemouth and then the exclamation point of beating Aston Villa at the Etihad on Sunday: that’s still the plan, although Arsenal are unlikely to stumble at Crystal Palace.

But instead, everything will be perceived through the prism of his decision to leave, a distraction City cannot afford as they chase an astounding 21st trophy of their reign.

He has made little secret of late of late about the imminent closure of his City side. This was particularly notable following the Carabao Cup final at Wembley in March; He spent half an hour on the field drinking enthusiastically with his daughter Maria around his neck.

He seemed to be telling himself that even if he could not beat Arsenal in the league, he would achieve this victory as a permanent reminder of his team’s superiority.

However, he wanted the final selection to be announced on his own terms. A sermon after it’s all over, preferably written with his favorite celebratory cigar. Not with a wave of anxiety the night before a potentially season-defining game.

On the surface, what he has bequeathed is a legacy of unpolished brilliance. Guardiola has fundamentally changed the way football is played in this country, with more teams being programmed to pass from the back and attack the pitch.

Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta learned at his feet as he prepared for his own coronation. Xabi Alonso, who took over at Chelsea, was greatly influenced by his style.

Although not a classic of Guardiola’s oeuvre, last Saturday’s FA Cup final was nevertheless a miniature tactical masterpiece; City neutralized every threat and then attacked with the exquisite creativity of Antoine Semenyo.

While Guardiola has been unfairly caricatured as someone obsessed with possession, this theory collapses when the template of combining Erling Haaland with two flying wingers in Semenyo and Jérémy Doku creates magic.

His wise investment in youth will be matched by Nico O’Reilly’s World Cup contributions for England this summer. He accepted the curtain call, racking up an incredible 416 wins in 591 games.

Widely referred to as the heir apparent, Enzo Maresca’s primary responsibility will be to continue his golden era in the blue half of Manchester.

But there is a danger that the transition will become more complicated. The lingering question about City’s power with the stick is how they managed to achieve this power in the first place, Guardiola’s prodigious talents aside.

In the eyes of the club’s critics, the answer lies in the never-ending investigation into more than 115 allegations of financial irregularities, which City vehemently denies.

For years, Guardiola has had to reject suggestions that he was putting an asterisk next to his achievements, and now he is handing over the enviable task to Maresca.

Guardiola has repeatedly stated that he would be happy to manage City, even in the First League.

18 months ago “People ask: ‘What happens if we get relegated?’ “he says,” he smiled. “I’ll be here.”

But we know that won’t be the case anymore, as he has cut ties with a very important case that is still unsolved. For such a control freak, dealing with this separation in a complicated manner is against his nature.

Telegraph, London