Former Manchester City assistant manager Juanma Lillo has left his managerial position amid reports he could return to the club.
Regarded by Pep Guardiola as one of his coaching inspirations, Lillo played a key role in City’s Premier League title victories in 2020/21 and 2021/22.
The Spaniard left the club last summer after two years at City to make a return to first-team management, but he could now be poised to rejoin Guardiola’s staff.
Lillo leaves Al Sadd
On Tuesday evening Qatari side Al Sadd SC announced that Lillo had left his position as first-team manager after 12 months.
An official statement confirmed that Lillo had been allowed to leave due to his “emergency personal circumstances.”
The statement continued: “The club’s management held several previous meetings with the coach in an attempt to assist him in resolving these circumstances, but ultimately, the management saw accepting the coach’s request as the optimal solution.
“The club expresses its gratitude for the period he spent with Al-Sadd and wishes him success in life and a speedy resolution of his circumstances.”
Lillo’s departure comes a few weeks after reports linking him with a return to City.
Since City’s season finished with Champions League final victory last month, two key members of Guardiola’s coaching staff have left the club.
Assistant coach Enzo Maresca has been appointed Leicester City manager, while assistant manager Rodolfo Borrell has taken up the position of sporting director at MLS side Austin FC.
As reported by The Athletic, City have been working to bring Lillo back to the Etihad Stadium.
The report said that Lillo “struck up close relationships with several players,” during his time at City and “has a strong bond with Guardiola that goes back to the Catalan’s playing days.”
Lillo helped City with their preparations for the Champions League semi-final tie against Real Madrid last season, and was with the team for the final in Istanbul.
MCN view: Lillo’s return could ease transition
With key players – such as Ilkay Gundogan – and coaches leaving City this summer, the opening months of the new campaign could be something of an adaptation period.
The return of a familiar face in Lillo could help smooth things out and ensure that the treble winners pick up where they left off.
Of course, the priority must be Lillo’s wellbeing and the resolution of his personal circumstances.
