Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been told to leave the club by one of his closest allies, Carles Planchart, who believes the Spaniard needs a break to “regenerate” before taking on a new challenge.
Planchart worked with Guardiola for nearly 18 years across Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City. He said the 53-year-old coach has reached the end of his current cycle and should “look for a new project” to regain his energy.
“It’s a personal decision he’ll have to make. I think a project should last five or six years, no more,” Planchart told SPORT. “As a friend, I’d tell him to find something new because he still has a long way to go.”
Guardiola’s current deal at City runs until 2027, but he has previously said he might take a long break — possibly up to 15 years — once he leaves the Etihad.
Planchart also said City has been the most comfortable job of Guardiola’s career. “He’s stayed at City for so many years because they treated us like family. They let us work freely, like we were at home. He didn’t feel that way at Barca or Bayern,” he said.
Last season, City finished third in the Premier League after winning four straight titles, raising concerns that Guardiola may be losing motivation.
He was often seen looking tired on the sidelines and once joked after a 3–3 draw with Feyenoord that he “wanted to harm himself” — a remark he later apologised for.
Planchart blamed the drop in form on fatigue. “Sometimes you lack energy, and when that happens, it’s hard to recover,” he said. “We had injuries, ageing players, and tired staff. The lack of energy affected everyone, and losing the cup final showed it was a poor season.”
Describing Guardiola as “a football fanatic” and “a creator,” Planchart said his love for the game keeps him going, but it might also be wearing him out.
“He’s a genius. The hardest thing in life is creating — the rest of us just copy. He’s number one at that,” he added.
Planchart’s comments have fueled talk that Guardiola’s time at Manchester City — marked by record-breaking success — may soon be coming to an end.
