MANCHESTER: Pep Guardiola said Friday that his departure from Manchester City is “not on the table” at the moment as he focuses on trying to wrest back the Premier League title.
Guardiola, 54, is contracted at the Etihad until the end of the 2026/27 season but reports this week said City’s hierarchy were eyeing up potential replacements should the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach step away at the end of the current campaign.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, a former assistant of Guardiola’s, is reportedly among the leading candidates for the City job.
However, Guardiola, speaking to reporters on Friday, gave no indication that his reign at City was coming to a close, with his side back in the mix for major trophies after a dismal campaign last season.
City can go top of the Premier League, for a few hours at least, with victory at home to struggling West Ham on Saturday.
They are also well set for a place in the Champions League last 16 after beating Real Madrid in the Spanish capital earlier this month and booked their place in the League Cup semifinals on Wednesday.
“The club has to be prepared, but that subject it is not on the table right now,” said Guardiola, referring to his future.
“I understand that question when I have an end of contract, but you have said perfectly (I have) 18 months, so I’m so delighted, happy. I am excited with the development of the team and being there.”
City trail Arsenal by just two points at the top of the table after a six-game winning run in all competitions.
Guardiola, though, believes his young side must improve if they are to match his previous six title-winning teams during his time at City, which is nearing 10 years.
“Even when the results were not so good, (I said) many things are positive,” he said. “In the way we play still we are not at the level required to compete to win the titles, but the margin is there to improve it. That is nice.”
Guardiola confirmed that Rodri, Jeremy Doku and John Stones will all miss the visit of West Ham.
But he is hopeful that 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri could return for next weekend’s trip to Nottingham Forest.
Guardiola ‘excited’ by Man City future, not pondering exit
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Guardiola ‘excited’ by Man City future, not pondering exit
- Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, a former assistant of Guardiola’s, is reportedly among the leading candidates for the City job
- Guardiola, speaking to reporters on Friday, gave no indication that his reign at City was coming to a close
Formula E heads to Jeddah for double-header, Evans looking to build on Miami momentum
- The night races in Saudi Arabia come with the drivers’ standings tightly contested, with the top five separated by just seven points after three rounds
JEDDAH: The FIA Formula E World Championship continues this week with the first double-header of the 2025/26 season, as Rounds 4 and 5 take place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Feb. 13 and 14.
The night races in Saudi Arabia come with the drivers’ standings tightly contested, with the top five separated by just seven points after three rounds, while the highly anticipated Pit Boost feature also returns this weekend.
Pit Boost is a mandatory mid-race stop that provides cars with a 10 percent energy increase, adding a significant strategic element to selected races during double-header weekends.
Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans arrives in Jeddah fresh from victory in Miami and said the team is keen to build on its momentum.
“Getting the win in Miami was a huge boost, for me personally, of course, but for the whole team too. It was one of those races where everything just came together, and to take my 15th Formula E victory with Jaguar made it even more special,” he said.
“Now the attention shifts to Jeddah, which is a completely different challenge. We’ve shown we have the pace, and if we execute well across both races, there’s a big opportunity for us to really ride this momentum,” he added.
Porsche Formula E Team’s Nico Muller said the Jeddah E-Prix presents a unique challenge, particularly with the return of Pit Boost, which will be used in one of the two races.
“I’m excited for the Jeddah E-Prix, a night race is always special. It’s a cool track, it suits the GEN3 Evo (car) well,” he said.
“It’ll be the first Pit Boost race of the season, which will make things challenging, having two completely different races. It also makes preparation more intense because we’re preparing for two different scenarios.
“However, we have a strong base, the car and the team are performing well, and now it’s about optimizing our package for this track and the conditions. We have full focus on scoring points and chasing that victory,” he added.
The Jeddah E-Prix will once again be held under the lights, with cooler track and air temperatures expected to influence tire behavior and energy efficiency.
Off track, Formula E will also host the return of EVO Sessions, where global content creators will drive electric race cars at the circuit following the race weekend, with the event set to be streamed live on YouTube on Feb. 15.
The championship continues to promote sustainability and community engagement in Jeddah through initiatives focused on renewable energy use, waste reduction, education programs and inclusion, including support for young women in motorsport and local community partnerships.
