Pep Guardiola drops massive new update on his Man City future but sends warning over worrying issue
Pep Guardiola has dropped a big update on his long-term future at Manchester City as he prepares for the new season after a monumental treble-winning campaign last time around.
City kick-off the 2023/24 campaign on Sunday with the Community Shield at Wembley against last season’s main title challengers Arsenal.
Guardiola’s men will be aiming to do something that has not yet been achieved in Premier League history by winning the title four years in a row.
However, claiming Champions League glory was something the club was desperate to achieve – and with that box now ticked, there has been a real fear that the Spaniard could just walk away.
Guardiola actually penned a two-year contract extension back in November but has previously admitted that he plans to take a sabbatical upon leaving City before potentially managing a national team.
However, it now appears that be at The Etihad for the longer haul, admitting ahead of Sunday’s clash with the Gunners: “I signed a contract for another two years because I feel comfortable — and nothing has changed whether we won [the Treble] or didn’t win.
“I’m happy and the people are happy, the board and the hierarchy especially, because they decide in the end which manager is going to lead this group of players.
“If they are satisfied, I’m still satisfied. I want to defend what we won and maybe at the end of the season, if I am tired, we will talk with the club — or maybe extend more.”
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Guardiola is, however, concerned that the increased amount of matches, and the increased length of matches with the new rules, could take its toll on him and his players.
“Every pre-season is shorter,” he added.
“I know the end of the next season we are going to make a World Cup for the clubs in the United States of America; after finishing the season, two or three more weeks. That means the holidays will be 15 days or maybe two weeks.
“The problem is mental. They are exhausted. Look already how many players are injured in the pre-season in bad conditions: humidity, hot, the pitches are not really good, especially in the States.
“We have to adapt, adjust, but it’s not normal. It’s now, for example, every game we are going to play for 100 minutes!”
After facing the Gunners, City open up their Premier League title defence with a trip to club legend Vincent Kompany’s Burnley on Friday evening.
