Manager Pep Guardiola has admitted that Ruben Amorim played a key role in signing a new contract with Manchester City

Manager Pep Guardiola has admitted that Ruben Amorim played a key role in signing a new contract with Manchester City

 

Manchester City officially announced Pep Guardiola’s contract extension on Thursday night.

 

Manager Pep Guardiola says Manchester City’s loss to Sporting has prompted him to extend his contract at the Etihad Stadium.

 

Guardiola’s new contract runs until June 2026 and includes an option for a further 12 months, giving him more than a decade in charge of the Blues.

 

The announcement coincided with a meteoric rise for the Premier League champions under Guardiola, who entered the international break on a four-game losing streak for the first time.

 

Since beating Southampton at home a month ago, City have lost to Tottenham, Bournemouth, Sporting and Brighton.

 

The defeat at Sporting was particularly painful because the Portuguese side, led by new Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, won 4-1 in the second half.

 

Guardiola acknowledged the humiliation of his new local rivals, who added three defeats to City’s dreadnought, which gave him the impetus he needed to sign.

 

“I felt I couldn’t leave now, it’s that simple,” the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach explained. “Don’t ask me why maybe four losses made me feel like I couldn’t go.”

 

City are five points behind Liverpool for a fifth consecutive Premier League title and sit just 10th in the Champions League standings after a difficult start in Europe.

 

Things are tough for Guardiola, who will be without new Ballon d’Or winner Rodri for the 2023-24 season after he suffered a serious injury in recent weeks.

 

But the 53-year-old is hopeful he can turn things around. “If we have good players we will be successful and I think that is the aim of the club,” he said.

 

“Sometimes you have to replace players, bring in new players and if you have a good mentality and these standards the club is in a position to do that. “Every time I sign a contract I say, ‘Okay, it’s the last two years’, and then after I sign [another] contract I say, ‘Okay, it’s the last two years’, but that’s it.”

 

City’s first of an eight-match home series begins on Saturday at Tottenham, followed by a Champions League tie with Feyenoord and a delicious clash with Liverpool at Anfield.