| Full Name: | Josep ‘Pep’ Guardiola Sala |
| Age: | 52 |
| Date Of Birth: | January 18, 1971 |
| Height: | 5 ft 10 |
| Place Of Birth: | Santpedor |
| Nationality: | Spanish |
Manchester City named Pep Guardiola as the club’s latest manager in February 2016 after striking an agreement over replacing Manuel Pellegrini. He has been in charge at Etihad Stadium from July 2016.
Citizens chiefs sought to replace Pellegrini with Guardiola on an initial contract until June 2019. They later extended the Spaniard’s contract through until the summer of 2025 in November 2022. He had also earlier signed extensions in May 2018 and November 2020 to continue a dominant partnership.
Guardiola took charge at Manchester City in 2016 following trophy-laden tenures with Barcelona and Bayern Munich. While he replaced Pellegrini at Etihad Stadium following the Chilean overseeing one Premier League title. The tactical genius has since vastly boosted Manchester City’s trophy history.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola’s past coaching career
Barcelona gave Guardiola his big break as a first-team manager in July 2008 following just one season with their B-Team. He had not coached a side at any level before overseeing the Blaugrana’s academy squad. Yet Guardiola would transform the sport through his four-year tenure in charge at Camp Nou.
Guardiola redefined tika-taka football with Barcelona as the Catalan club introduced a high-pressing approach before destroying opponents with 1,000 passes. Their work rate was often unmatchable at the time. His concept was the ‘five-second rule’ of winning the ball back the moment that it was lost.
Barcelona pinned opponents back into their own halves with a high defensive line and spread play to all four corners of the pitch. Their forwards led by Lionel Messi set the tone for how the Blaugrana would implement Guardiola’s vision. All to resounding success as trophies upon trophies would soon follow.
His trophy cabinet would feature Champions League titles in 2008/09 and 2010/11 when Guardiola eventually left Barcelona in June 2012. They had also won La Liga three times and the Copa del Rey twice. While a flurry of further titles would follow for Guardiola after he took charge of Bayern Munich.
Der FCB won three Bundesliga titles and two DFB Pokals during Guardiola’s three years at the Allianz Arena. He only stayed in Bavaria between July 2013 and June 2016 having taken one season out after leaving Barcelona. But there would be no break as the two-time world coach of the year left Munich.
Pep Guardiola’s coaching career
Manchester City (July 2016-June 2025 expected)
Bayern Munich (July 2013-June 2016)
Barcelona (July 2008-June 2015)
Barcelona B (July 2007-June 2008)
Pep Guardiola’s playing career
Barcelona brought Guardiola home when they appointed the Catalan club’s academy product as the manager of their B-Team in 2007. He entered La Masia at the age of 13 in 1984 following a spell with Club Gimnastic Manresa. The midfielder made his first-team debut against Cadiz in December 1990.
Johan Cruyff saw immense potential in Guardiola as a central midfielder from a young age whilst he was developing his skill on the right flank. His switch to a centralised position proved transformative. Guardiola would go on to become a key part as the pivot of Barcelona’s Dream Team of the 1990s.
Guardiola was among the first players to graduate from La Masia to make Barcelona’s first-team. He would also remain in their squad until 2001 when the local lad from Santpedor headed off to Italy with Brescia. While his CV would later include brief careers with AS Roma, Al-Ahli and Dorados de Sinaloa.
It was at Barcelona with Cruyff calling the shots that Guardiola enjoyed the most success as a player, though. The Blaugrana won six La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys and one European Cup Winners’ Cup with Guardiola. He also won gold at the 1992 Olympics in Spain with the final played at Camp Nou.
Pep Guardiola at Manchester City
Manchester City secured the services of arguably the greatest manager of his generation when they hired Guardiola in 2016. Their success in convincing the Spaniard to leave Bayern Munich has also led to streams of silverware. He has overseen a truly dominant period in Manchester City’s club history.
Guardiola has guided the Citizens to four Premier League titles alongside four EFL Cups and one FA Cup. The Etihad Stadium club won the EFL Cup in four consecutive seasons from 2017 to 2021, too. While Guardiola also guided Manchester City to their first Champions League final during 2020/21.