Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has been the subject of scrutiny following yet another loss, which has extended the team’s extraordinary decline to nine losses in their last 12 games.
Phil Foden’s goal in a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa did little to alleviate the gloom that has enveloped Guardiola’s injury-plagued team.
The club’s standards have visibly deteriorated since their historic treble win in 2023, and the club is currently in turmoil both on and off the field.
They are still awaiting the verdict of a hearing into their alleged 115 breaches of Premier League financial rules, which they deny.It seems even Guardiola has his breaking point, reminiscent of his departure from Barcelona in 2012 after reaching the zenith of European football.
With City faltering, supporters can’t help but draw parallels with Guardiola’s past, when he lifted the Catalan side to legendary status, before admitting the immense success took its toll.
City have experienced a decline from their previous highs, similar to the Barcelona team of 2012, as a result of concerns regarding an aging squad.
As per the Mirror, the club is presently seventh in the Premier League, 22nd in the restructured Champions League table, and have already been eliminated from the Carabao Cup.
The club has added five additional top-tier championships to its trophy cabinet in the six seasons since Guardiola, who at 53, clinched his first Premier League title in his second season at City.
Nevertheless, their most recent decline serves as evidence that they are not immune to the cyclical nature of sports.Players like Kyle Walker, 34, Ederson, 31, Ilkay Gundogan, 34, and the injury-prone Kevin De Bruyne, 33, have been the subject of scrutiny for being past their prime at City.
It appears that City may be on the brink of the end of an era, as a number of senior contracts, including Guardiola’s, are due to expire in 2026 and 2027.
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