‘I don’t know how long I’ll stop for’: Pep Guardiola talks about taking indefinite hiatus after Manchester City stint

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Manchester City's manager Pep Guardiola during the Premier League match against Bournemouth. (AP)

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola said that he will be taking a hiatus after eventually leaving the English club, adding that he does not currently know till when that break will go on. The Catalan coach had taken a one-year break from football after leaving Barcelona in 2012.

“I know that after this stage with City I’m going to stop, that’s for sure. It’s decided, more than decided. I don’t know how long I’ll stop for, a year, two years, three years, five, 10, 15, I don’t know. But I will leave after this spell with City because I need to stop and focus on myself,” he said in a conversation to GQ Spain as per Independent.

Guardiola had a rare trophy-less season in 2024/25 where City finished 3rd in the league and were also knocked out early from the Champions League.

“I’m delighted to have failed. I love failures. In this society where everything has to be perfect, where you have to post your food on Instagram… ‘Oh, how good, how happy I am’. Everyday we have to prove that we’re happy. Well, yes, I’m sad, I fail and I lose. So?,” Guardiola said on asking about City’s ‘failures’ last season.

Last month, City failed even win the Club World Cup when Marcos Leonardo scored his second goal on a rebound in the 112th minute, and Al Hilal stunned Manchester City 4-3, eliminating them from the round of 16.

In a back-and-forth thriller at Camping World Stadium, the Saudi Arabian club took the lead three times, including twice in extra time. Kalidou Koulibaly put Al Hilal ahead 3-2 in the 94th minute, but Phil Foden — who entered as a substitute four minutes earlier — equalized in the 104th.

Leonardo finally put Man City away. Goalkeeper Ederson saved a header by Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from inside the penalty box and the ball deflected to Leonardo, who redirected it with his right foot as he fell to the pitch near the left post.

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