First there were doubts, then came dominancePep Guardiola has lifted 20 trophies during a decade at Manchester City. Photograph: Alex Pantling/The FA via Getty Images Pep Guardiola will reportedly leave Manchester City this summer after a glorious 10 years at the club in which he won 20 trophies. Here’s a look at some of the games and moments that defined his tenure at the club.Selling Joe Hart (Summer 2016): Guardiola decided immediately the England number one, a two-time Premier League winner, was not good enough with his feet for his style. It was a ruthless call, questioned when replacement Claudio Bravo struggled, but the arrival of Ederson the following year brought vindication. The cultural tone was set.Napoli statement (October-November 2017): After an indifferent first season, Guardiola’s City made a Champions League statement with back-to-back wins over a much-vaunted Napoli side. Guardiola described Maurizio Sarri’s team as one of the best he had faced, but City won 2-1 at the Etihad and 4-2 in Italy. It was the moment they gained wider European credibility.Decisive Derby (December 2017): Scepticism from Guardiola’s first season faded as City moved 11 points clear with a 2-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford. United boss José Mourinho complained, but City were dominant and the title race was effectively over.José Mourinho could not halt Pep Guardiola's Manchester City during his time at Manchester United. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images Centurions and record-breakers (April-May 2018): City were not playing when their first title under Guardiola was confirmed as West Brom beat United, sparking impromptu celebrations from the players in a local pub. They quickly refocused, finishing with 100 points, 32 wins, 106 goals and a 19-point margin – all records.Magic from Stones and Kompany (2018-19): City edged Liverpool 98 points to 97 in a remarkable title race. John Stones’s 11mm goal-line clearance preserved a 2-1 win over Jürgen Klopp’s team, and Vincent Kompany’s late strike against Leicester ultimately kept them ahead.Watford rout (May 2019): A 6-0 FA Cup final win over Watford sealed English football first domestic treble and was the biggest winning margin in the fixture since 1903, underlining City’s dominance.Vincent Kompany sees his shot against Leinster in May 2019 fly into the net to keep Manchester City on track for another Premier League title. Photograph: Oli SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images Tactical reinvention (2020-21 and 2021-22): First prompted by injury to Sergio Aguero, and then the Argentinian’s departure – plus a failed move for Harry Kane – Guardiola reshaped City around a false nine. It brought more league titles in 2021 and 2022, when they recovered from 2-0 down against Aston Villa on the final day to pip Liverpool again.Reaching first Champions League final (2021): After years of near-misses, City reached their first final by sweeping aside Paris St Germain 4-1 on aggregate. Defeat followed, but it marked a breakthrough.Thrashing Real Madrid (2023): In arguably Guardiola’s finest City performance, his side beat Real Madrid 4-0 to reach the final. Bernardo Silva struck twice before further goals from Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez sealed a 5-1 aggregate win. It was ruthless and emphatic, and a major psychological barrier had been broken.Rodri and Pep Guardiola take in the significance of Manchester City's win over Inter Milan in the 2023 Champions League final. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images Kings of Europe (2023): Rodri’s goal secured a 1-0 win over Inter Milan in Istanbul, completing a glorious treble and removing the final doubt over Guardiola’s time in England.Ortega save (2024): Substitute goalkeeper Stefan Ortega produced a crucial late save to deny Son Heung-min and effectively secure a fourth successive title. His 86th-minute stop, with City 1-0 up at Tottenham, was followed by a second goal from Erling Haaland. Had Son scored, Arsenal would have gone into the final day top. - PAIN THIS SECTION
Pep Guardiola’s milestones at Manchester City: from selling Joe Hart to conquering Europe
First there were doubts, then came dominance










