Be true to yourself: Guardiola warns Man City against hiring copy-paste successor

Pep Guardiola has told Manchester City not to appoint a manager who will try to imitate him. As he prepares to leave after the Aston Villa game, he said his successor must be unique and backed the club despite financial charges.

Enzo Maresca to take over as Manchester City manager (Image: Reuters)

As his decade-long, trophy-laden era at Manchester City draws to a close, Pep Guardiola has sent a clear farewell message to the club’s hierarchy: don’t try to replace me with a copycat. The legendary manager, who guided City to six Premier League titles, the Champions League crown and the Club World Cup, will officially step down at the end of the current campaign after the final league game against Aston Villa.

With rumors strongly linking the current Chelsea and former Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca — the man who previously cut his teeth as Guardiola’s assistant in Manchester—for the Etihad hot seat naturally raised questions about the template City’s board is looking for. However, speaking ahead of his final game, Guardiola dismissed the idea that his successor should simply emulate his plan.

“Copy and paste doesn’t work for this kind of job,” Guardiola told reporters, revealing a pragmatic view of the transition under high pressure. “You have to be unique, natural and yourself, and the new manager will be himself. The moment it starts to be a copy of another… Everyone is everyone. It has to be. And that’s why everything will be good.”

Heritage defense

While Guardiola’s departure marks the end of a golden tactical era, it also coincides with an ongoing battle off the pitch that has threatened to overshadow his monumental achievements. The club still operates under the heavy shadow of 115 alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules, a complex legal saga whose final resolution will shape City’s future long after the Catalan manager has packed his bags.

Despite the looming threat of severe sporting sanctions, Guardiola remained completely unfazed and fiercely defensive of the club’s leadership, reiterating his steadfast faith in the hierarchy that had supported him for ten seasons.

“Because I trust them,” Guardiola said emphatically when pressed on the financial charges. “I trust them! Because I’ve talked to them and I trust the way they behave and what they’ve done. So whatever happened – there will be a solution. I trust them.”

With his final game at the Etihad, Guardiola leaves behind a blueprint for success but a firm reminder that the next man has to make his own way.

– The end

Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

May 24, 2026 1:37 PM IST

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