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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
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Nathan Bliss

This is when Pep Guardiola will leave Man City - according to Football Manager 2019

Pep Guardiola has enjoyed great success in his Manchester City career so far.

Last season, City became the first side to reach 100 points in the Premier League era, breaking all sorts of goalscoring records along the way, and also winning the League Cup in what was a successful 2017/18 campaign.

This campaign, Guardiola's side are favourites to retain the Premier League, prepare for the quarter-finals of the Champions League and have already won the League Cup in what promises to be yet another superb year.

But when will he leave City? And where will he go?

Using popular football simulation game Football Manager 2019, we sought after answers.

We started a new game, didn't change any details and let the game play out for itself to see how Guardiola would do.

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Pep Guardiola (Man City) - 2018/19

The only thing that Guardiola did differently in-game in 2018/19 as opposed to real-life was buying defensive midfelder Danilo Pereira from Porto for £54million as a long-term replacement for Fernandinho.

However, Fernandinho remained first choice for the entire campaign, as Guardiola commonly used a familiar looking lineup.

(Football Manager 2019)

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Despite being ahead of Liverpool for almost the entire campaign, Guardiola's City were pipped to the Premier League title by Liverpool, who finished three points ahead.

City did win the FA Cup under Guardiola that season but ultimately, the campaign finished as a disappointment.

But, that wasn't the end for Guardiola at City. Yet.

(Football Manager 2019)

Pep Guardiola (Man City) - 2019/20

In the following season, the Spaniard tried to evolve his team and brought in a number of new players.

Atletico Madrid defender Jose Gimenez (£73m), Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha (£56m), Fiorentina winger Federico Chiesa (£49m) and Real Sociedad striker Willian Jose (£48m) were all recruited.

In this campaign, Guardiola evolved Man City into a 3-4-3 side, with new signing Gimenez incorporated into a back three.

(Football Manager 2019)

However, the change in formation didn't work, as City finished fourth in the Premier League behind Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal.

When it was clear that Guardiola would fail to guide City to a single trophy that season, the Spaniard was sacked as City manager in February 2020, after winning just one league title in three seasons.

(Football Manager 2019)

But where would he go next?

Pep Guardiola (Arsenal) - 2020/21

That's right, Guardiola went to Arsenal in the summer of 2020, replacing the outgoing Unai Emery.

He then splashed the cash as the new Gunners manager.

He brought in Real Betis midfielder William Carvalho (£51m), Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake (£47.5m) and Celtic full-back Kieran Tierney (£22.5m) as Sokratis, Laurent Koscielny and Rob Holding were all sold.

The Gunners' new boss largely played a 4-2-3-1 at the Emirates, with a mix of youth and experience, in what looked like a formidable first 11.

Guardiola led Arsenal to an FA Cup victory in his first season, but could only finish fourth in the Premier League table, behind Liverpool, City and Manchester United.

(Football Manager 2019)

Football Manager 2019 thinks that Guardiola will stay at City for one-and-a-half seasons, before joining Premier League rivals Arsenal.

It sounds doubtful, but anything can happen in football...

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