Pep Guardiola urged to 'look for a new project' by former Man City assistant as brutal dig aimed at Barcelona & Bayern Munich

After achieving incredible success in both Spain and Germany with Barcelona and Bayern Munich respectively, Guardiola and City have dominated English football since joining forces nine years ago. Under the 54-year-old’s stewardship, City have won six Premier League titles - including an unprecedented four in a row - as well as two FA Cups and four League Cups. City also lifted their first Champions League crown as part of only the second treble-winning season in English football history in 2022-23.

And after presiding over what has been the golden spell in City’s history, Guardiola has now been told he should look for new mountains to climb. In an interview with Spanish publication SPORT, Carles Planchart - who worked alongside Guardiola at Barcelona, Bayern and City as a performance analyst - believes the time has come for his close friend to seek a fresh challenge.

Planchart said: “It’s a personal decision he’ll (Guardiola) have to make. I think a project should last five or six years, no more. But not for him, for everyone. Afterwards, you have to regenerate. As a friend, I would tell him to look for a new project because he still has a long way to go.”

What a new project would look like for Guardiola remains to be seen. The manager has previously expressed his desire to manage a national team at a World Cup before he calls time on his illustrious coaching career, saying in February 2024: "I would like to train a national team for a World Cup or a European Championship. I would like that.”

When pressed if he had a preferred national team in mind, Guardiola added: "I don't know who would want me! To work for a national team they have to want you, just like a club."

Guardiola has categorically ruled out completing an emotional return to Barcelona, however. Having built one of the greatest club sides in football history during his first stint as Blaugrana boss between 2008 and 2012, he insists he has no intention of managing the Spanish giants again. 

In an interview with GQ in July, Guardiola said: “It's over. It's over forever. It was very beautiful, but it's over now.”

And when pressed on a potential presidential post at Camp Nou, Guardiola added: “No! I'm no good at this.”

And while keen to stress that Guardiola’s reasons for not wanting to return to Barcelona remain his own, Planchart has since speculated on why he believes the tactician has steered clear of a return to Camp Nou, saying: “It’s his decision, and he should be responsible, but I’m clear that this is why he’s been at City for so many years: they’ve treated us like family. They’ve let us work as if we were at home. He didn’t feel that way at Barca or Bayern."

City are next in action when they play host to Everton in the Premier League on October 18, following the conclusion of the international break. They will then travel to face Villarreal in their next Champions League game three days later. Guardiola's men are currently in fine form across all competitions, having put together a seven-game unbeaten run which has included victories over Manchester United, Napoli, Huddersfield, Burnley and Brentford.