Pep Guardiola has warned Manchester City’s leadership that he will depart if the team is not reduced before next season. After leaving five senior players out of City’s 3-1 triumph over Bournemouth on Tuesday at the Etihad Stadium, the Spaniard was frustrated.
Guardiola wants a lesser group for next season or he will quit because he cannot leave out experienced players. Rico Lewis, Savinho, Abdukodir Khusanov, James McAtee, and Claudio Echeverri missed the match.
Guardiola made tough selections in the FA Cup final loss to Crystal Palace on Saturday, underscoring his conviction that the team is too big. After City’s first trophyless season since 2017, Guardiola is rebuilding and pushing for a leaner roster to retain competitive balance and emotional harmony.
“I don’t want 24, 25, 26 players when everyone is fit,” he remarked. If I get hurt, bad luck. We have academy players and do it.”
“[We] cannot sustain for the emotion of the club, the soul of the team, create another connection with each other that this season we lost it a bit,” he said.
