How Has Pep Guardiola’s ‘Most Difficult’ Season Changed The City Boss?

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 02: Josep 'Pep' Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, looks on as he is ... More interviewed by Sky Sports during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC at Etihad Stadium on May 02, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
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When Manchester City started the 2024/25 season, many expected Pep Guardiola’s team to make four Premier League titles in a row five. The Etihad Stadium outfit was the dominant force at the top of English soccer and it was difficult to envisage any other team getting close to all-conquering City.
Ultimately, though, the 2024/25 campaign turned into Guardiola’s “most difficult,” as he calls it, as Manchester City manager. City was firmly left behind in the Premier League title race and suffered an early exit from the Champions League. Guardiola’s team could still win the FA Cup, but this would be a meagre return by the standards of recent years.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 2: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City speaks with Phil Foden and ... More Rico Lewis of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC at Etihad Stadium on May 2, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Molly Darlington/Copa/Getty Images)
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“It’s been the most difficult [season], that’s for sure,” Guardiola said with City still in need of points to secure a top five place and Champions League qualification. “It’s been more demanding. Much more. When you don’t win it’s more demanding emotionally and preparing, and the moods and everything. It’s been more difficult than the previous seasons we played for the titles.”
Manchester City has already started its rebuild, spending roughly €180m on new players in the January transfer window. Guardiola himself has spoken about how he might have to change his approach to combat some of the forces, internal and external, that dragged down his team this season.
Guardiola sacrificed control to fit Erling Haaland into his lineup following his arrival from Borussia Dortmund. With the Norwegian striker out injured for the last few weeks, City has rediscovered this control, pushing the outgoing Kevin De Bruyne into a more advanced position where has been able to have a greater influence.