Pep Guardiola's message after quitting club speaks volumes as Man City crisis rages on

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola looks dejected during the Premier League match between Aston Villa FC and Manchester City (Image: Offside via Getty Images)

Pep Guardiola's tenure at Manchester City could be in jeopardy as the team faces a slump, reminiscent of his departure from Barcelona. After a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa, Guardiola's side has now suffered nine losses in their last 12 matches, a stark contrast to their previous successes, including the treble in 2023.

The club's current form is a far cry from its glory days and echoes the decline that Barcelona experienced under Guardiola before he left in 2012. In a revealing interview with Audi in 2014, Guardiola admitted: "I felt as if I could no longer lift the team," a sentiment that may resonate with City fans today.

"We were incredibly successful. Winning 14 trophies in only four years was the greatest period in the club's history. But gradually I found it more and more difficult to motivate myself and to motivate the team. That is when you know it is time to walk away."

With City languishing in seventh place in the Premier League, 22nd in the Champions League standings, and out of the Carabao Cup, questions arise about whether Guardiola's magic has worn off and if it's time for a change at the helm.

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Guardiola, 53, has clinched six Premier League titles out of a possible eight since his arrival on English soil in the summer of 2016. However, their recent downturn shows that even they are not immune to the effects of Father Time.

Barcelona's coach Josep Guardiola leaves after a press conference on May 24, 2012 at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on the eve of the 2012 King's Cup final football match between Athletic Bilbao and FC Barcelone. AFP PHOTO / LLUIS GENE (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP/GettyImages) (Image: LLUIS GENE/AFP/GettyImages)

Players such as Kyle Walker (34), Ederson (31), Ilkay Gundogan (34) and the injury-prone Kevin De Bruyne (33) have been scrutinised as potentially being past their prime at City. With several senior contracts due to expire in 2026 and 2027 (including Guardiola's), it appears City may be nearing the end of an era.

The club is currently awaiting the outcome of 115 charges of alleged spending violations. Serious accusations of improper spending and financial doping have hung over the club for some time now, with the verdict expected to be handed down sometime in early 2025.

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Amid this uncertainty and the recent turmoil caused by on-field results, it seems those at the Etihad are indeed struggling for motivation. And it wouldn't be the first time this issue has led Guardiola to cut ties with a club out of concern he can no longer extract the best from his players.