. For Apollo Creed’s line to Rocky Balboa in Rocky III that “you had that eye of the tiger, the edge, and now you gotta get it back”, read Guardiola’s desire to see off the copious challenges gnawing at his team and club and prove, again, his genius.
The reasons why he could have chosen to walk next summer may be the same that have replenished his will to stay. Either way, the 53-year-old’s decision comes at an intriguing juncture of an era‑defining eight-and-a-half-year reign.
Guardiola’s empire is threatened on several fronts. He has just overseen the first four-game losing streak of a gilded coaching career, a shaky start that threatens City’s tilt at a record fifth consecutive Premier League title. The run has also dumped them out of the Carabao Cup and includes the 4-1 humbling at Sporting in their most recent Champions League outing.
Next we move to the Premier League’s case against the club over financial wrongdoing, which is being heard by an independent commission and involves 100-plus counts. City deny wrongdoing but if found guilty could be relegated from the top flight.
Guardiola has no break clause and is in charge of a squad that may require significant turnover given that 12 players will be 30 or more by mid-September: Manuel Akanji, Jack Grealish, Nathan Aké (all 30), Mateo Kovacic, Bernardo Silva (31), John Stones, Ederson, Stefan Ortega (32), Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gündogan (34), Kyle Walker (35) and Scott Carson (40). De Bruyne, Gündogan and Carson will depart next summer unless they, too, agree new contracts.
Beyond that group, Rodri and Kalvin Phillips will by then be 29, Rúben Dias 28 and Matheus Nunes 26. The 25-or-under contingent contains Erling Haaland, Savinho, Josko Gvardiol, …
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