After seeing how Kylian Mbappé and Real Madrid tore Manchester City apart in the Champions League Playoffs, it was only natural that criticism would follow, with Pep Guardiola as the main target. He has failed to fix the path or the performance of this Manchester City team.

Now, the big question is whether the Spanish coach’s incredibly successful era at the helm of the Cityzens has come to an end, with the elimination from the continental competition just a sign of what many already know is bound to happen.

End of an Era for Guardiola?

Manchester City started the 2025 season with a victory in the Community Shield, winning on penalties against Arsenal, but things have steadily gone downhill since then. With Rodri’s injury, the 'sky blues'’ performance dropped significantly. Currently, the team sits in fifth place in the Premier League, a massive 17 points behind Liverpool, and has been eliminated from both the Champions League and the League Cup (losing to Tottenham).

At its worst moment, between late October and mid-December, City managed only 4 points out of 28 possible. Now, Guardiola’s side has only two hopes left: the FA Cup, where they will face Plymouth Argyle in the Round of 16, and the Club World Cup.

Guardiola’s Legacy at Manchester City

Since his arrival at the Etihad in 2016, Pep Guardiola has left an indelible mark. With 18 titles to his name, he has won 6 Premier League titles, a Champions League, a Club World Cup, a UEFA Super Cup, two FA Cups, four League Cups, and three Community Shields.

Guardiola’s Achievements at Manchester City

• Six Premier League titles: 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24.
• Two FA Cups: 2018-19, 2022-23.
• Four League Cups: 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21.
• Three Community Shields: 2018, 2019, 2024.
• One Champions League: 2022-23.
• One UEFA Super Cup: 2023.
• One Club World Cup: 2023.

Is Guardiola No Longer the Same?

After the "KO" against Real Madrid in the Champions League, Pep Guardiola admitted that the team is no longer the same as the one that achieved the historic treble (League, Cup, and Champions League) in the 2022-2023 season. The phrase "we’ve been an amazing team" reflects the transition into a new cycle, and Guardiola himself acknowledged that "a little bit, yes," the era has come to an end, referring to signings like Nico González, Vitor Reis, Khusanov, and Marmoush.

City’s Squad: A Generational Change?

Despite the current struggles, Guardiola remains hopeful about continuing with his team, although he acknowledges that some key players, like Gündogan (34), De Bruyne (33), and Ederson (31), are nearing the end of their careers. Guardiola’s renewal until 2026 hasn’t fully cleared the doubts about his future, especially after being asked about his motivation, to which he responded with some indecision: "Yeah, yeah... I’m eager to continue, yes, yes."

Manchester City Facing New Challenges

The big question is whether Guardiola and his team can recover from the current crisis in the Premier League and whether they can renew their success in Europe. The competition is fierce, and while Guardiola has led City to great heights, it seems that this cycle may be coming to an end. Will 2025 be the year the team wins the FA Cup or the Club World Cup again? Only time will tell.