Pep Guardiola has confirmed what Manchester City fans had been fearing.
The club's most successful manager is leaving, bringing to a close a trophy-laden, 10-year spell in which he established City as a force in Europe and changed the face of English soccer.
Guardiola had a year left on his City contract but will take charge of his final game on Sunday against Aston Villa in the Premier League.
"Don't ask me the reasons I'm leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside I know it's my time," he said on Friday.
City said Guardiola will become a global ambassador and the club was naming its newly developed stand at Etihad Stadium after him.
Enzo Maresca — the former Chelsea manager who was previously assistant to Guardiola at City — is the favourite to take on the daunting task of filling the Catalan's shoes after a decade of unprecedented dominance.
