Guardiola ‘wants to leave Man City after final Klopp challenge beaten’
Pep Guardiola wants to overcome one final challenge from Jurgen Klopp and rebuild his struggling Man City before he leaves the club, according to Jamie Carragher.
Jurgen Klopp’s decision to remain at Liverpool despite a challenging 2022-23 season was driven by his desire to leave the club in a strong position for his successor Arne Slot, just as Pep Guardiola’s recent two year contract extension at Man City is believed to reflect a similar ambition.
The Citizens are currently enduring a six-match winless run across all competitions, their longest in over eight years, a situation Guardiola is thought keen to resolve as he works to stabilise the squad for his Sky Blues successor.
Carragher said his Telegraph column: “City versus Liverpool has been the defining rivalry of recent years. Guardiola has been the overall winner, but Klopp left one final challenge for his old adversary to match: How to leave the perfect legacy for a successor to continue your work.
“There are echoes of what Klopp did ahead of his final Anfield season. Many suspect he stayed longer than intended to reverse an alarming dip in 2022-23. Arne Slot is the first to admit he has been in a position to fine tune rather than start afresh, his one signing to date, Federico Chiesa, yet to start a Premier League match.
“Guardiola wants to leave City on the same terms and the poor run preceding his deal convinced him it was not the right time to walk into the Manchester sunset. The Klopp revival did not lead to another Premier League title, but he must be as proud of leaving the club in such good health as of any of the trophies he lifted.”
Pep Guardiola will leave Man City in good stead before he departs
Football Insider opinion
The Spaniard’s managerial legacy includes significant success with Barcelona and Bayern Munich, leaving both clubs in strong positions after his departure.
At Barcelona, he led the team to a Copa del Rey title in his final season (2011-12), and although he departed that summer, the squad continued to thrive under his successor and former assistant, Tito Vilanova, winning La Liga the following season.
Similarly, at the German club, Guardiola secured the Bundesliga title in his final campaign (2015-16), and after his departure, Carlo Ancelotti took over, guiding the team to another Bundesliga title the next season.
Despite City’s current six-match winless run, the Catalan’s track record suggests he will defy the pressure and ensure the squad remains competitive. Just as his previous teams continued to succeed after his departure, Guardiola is determined to leave City in a strong position, ensuring they can challenge for titles even after his eventual exit.
Slot’s Liverpool side top the Premier League table ahead of the weekend’s meeting between the two sides (1 December), and the champions have a major challenge on their hands to arrest the slide or their title defence may be over before Christmas.
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