English media reports indicate that Man City's leadership and coach Pep Guardiola will meet soon to discuss his tenure, with a potential departure after the 2025-2026 season. This comes as the club faces significant on-field challenges, prompting speculation about an early contract termination. Guardiola is expected to take a break for reflection before making a decision.

Guardiola reacts after Man City's 1-2 loss to Real in the Champions League round of 16 second leg on 17/3. *EP*

The team's recent struggles are the primary reason behind these discussions. In the Premier League, Man City currently trails Arsenal by 9 points with 8 matches remaining. Their Champions League campaign ended in a 1-5 aggregate defeat to Real in the round of 16. While Guardiola's squad still has the League Cup final against Arsenal on 22/3 and an FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool on 4/4, even winning both domestic competitions may not salvage the season.

Guardiola joined Man City in the summer of 2016, overseeing a period of immense success. He has secured 17 trophies in his first 8 seasons, including six Premier League titles. His most notable achievement was leading the team to a historic treble in the 2022-2023 season.

However, following the treble, Guardiola's side unexpectedly lost its dominant edge. Last season, the team's only major silverware was the Community Shield. They finished third in the Premier League, lost 0-1 to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final, exited the League Cup in the fourth round with a 1-2 defeat to Tottenham, suffered a 3-6 loss to Real in the Champions League play-off round, and fell 3-4 to Al Hilal in the FIFA Club World Cup round of 16.

Throughout his career, Guardiola has amassed 40 titles, making him the second most decorated club manager, behind only Alex Ferguson, who holds 49 titles. Man City marks the Spanish coach's longest managerial stint, spanning 10 seasons. Prior to this, he spent four seasons at Barcelona (including one with the B team) and three seasons at Bayern.

After the mid-week loss to Real, when questioned about his personal future, Guardiola avoided a direct answer. He instead emphasized the team's prospects for the next season. "Oh, everyone wants me fired, right?! My goodness!" he stated. "One day I will come here and say 'goodbye', but for now I still have one year left on my contract. The future will be bright and next season we will be back."