Pep Guardiola Reveals What Saved His Job During ‘Really Poor’ 2024-25 Campaign as Man City Boss Admits He Was Almost Sacked

For most managers, finishing third in the Premier League, exiting the Champions League early, and ending the season without silverware would still be acceptable, maybe even admirable. But for Pep Guardiola and Manchester City, the 2024-25 season was nothing short of disastrous. By their sky-high standards, it was a collapse, a stumble at the very peak of the mountain.

And for the first time since arriving in Manchester in 2016, Guardiola has admitted he genuinely feared for his job.

Guardiola: “If I Didn’t Have My Chairman and Director, I’d Have Been Sacked”

Speaking candidly to TNT Sports, Guardiola cut through the usual managerial deflections.

“I’m really pleased to sit here after a bad season,” he said. “If I didn’t have my chairman and sporting director like I have, I would have been sacked, definitely. Because the results were really, really poor.”

Those words feel almost alien coming from Guardiola, a man whose career has been defined by dominance — six Premier League titles, two trebles, countless domestic cups, and the crowning glory of a Champions League triumph in 2023. Yet in 2024-25, City unravelled.

The numbers were shocking. Between November and January, they lost nine out of 12 games in all competitions. Confidence evaporated. Injuries piled up. Opponents smelled weakness. Suddenly, the aura of invincibility that had wrapped around the Etihad for years began to crack.

The Season That Nearly Broke City

Guardiola has endured setbacks before. Bayern’s Champions League failures. The infamous 2019 season when Liverpool beat City to the title by a single point. But 2024-25 was different.

City finished third in the league, limping over the line behind Arsenal and Liverpool. In Europe, they were bundled out far earlier than expected, looking a shadow of the slick, relentless machine that had once dismantled Real Madrid and Bayern for fun.

For a club that measures itself in trebles, doubles, and domination, finishing empty-handed was humiliating. Guardiola himself admitted it felt “really poor” — words that cut deeper because he rarely underplays City’s achievements.

Khaldoon Al Mubarak and Txiki Begiristain: The Safety Net

The saving grace, Guardiola insists, was the unwavering backing of chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and then-sporting director Txiki Begiristain. The two men have been Guardiola’s allies since his Barcelona days, guiding and protecting him through stormy waters.

“If I didn’t have them, I’d have been sacked,” Pep confessed. “Definitely.”

That loyalty matters. Other clubs would have wielded the axe without hesitation. But City’s hierarchy saw the bigger picture: Guardiola wasn’t just another coach. He had transformed the club into a global powerhouse, instilled a philosophy, built a dynasty. One bad season didn’t erase that.

And yet, Pep knows he cannot take such backing for granted forever. In football, even legends eventually face the sack if results don’t return.

A New Season, a New Chapter

Pep Guardiola Man City

Guardiola was quick to pivot his focus. “Football is this: win or lose, what’s the next chapter? The next chapter is this season, and nobody knows what’s going to happen. We have, I think, the desire to do well.”

That “desire” has already been backed by action. Across two transfer windows, City brought in six or seven new signings, refreshing a squad that looked fatigued last year. Youth has been blended with experience. The aim is clear: no repeat of 2024-25.

City began the new campaign with an emphatic win over Wolves, a performance that hinted at renewed hunger. But the real test comes in their next clash: a mouth-watering fixture at the Etihad against Thomas Frank’s Tottenham.

Guardiola Rarely Has Two Bad Seasons

History suggests City fans need not panic. Guardiola’s career has shown one recurring truth: he almost never has two disappointing seasons in a row.

After every setback has come a resurgence. After Bayern’s painful European exits, came domestic dominance. After losing the league to Liverpool in 2020, came back-to-back titles. After years of Champions League frustration, came the 2023 triumph in Istanbul.

The Catalan thrives on criticism. It fuels him, sharpens him. And judging by his comments, he is already using the failure of 2024-25 as motivation.

The Human Side of Guardiola

What made Guardiola’s TNT Sports admission striking wasn’t just the content, but the tone. For once, the perfectionist allowed himself to sound vulnerable.

Managers of his calibre are often guarded, hiding behind clichés about “working hard” or “taking it one game at a time.” But Guardiola spoke like a man who had felt the pressure, who had imagined the sack, and who had realised how close he came.

It was a reminder that behind the tactical genius and relentless standards, there is a human being navigating the same insecurities every coach faces.

The Legacy Question

For all the turbulence of 2024-25, Guardiola’s legacy at City remains untouchable. Six league titles. A Champions League. Multiple domestic cups. A style of play that has redefined English football.

But football is always about the next thing. Sir Alex Ferguson was judged season by season at Manchester United despite decades of success. Guardiola knows the same rules apply to him. Another trophyless campaign, and even Khaldoon’s patience might wear thin.

That’s why this season feels pivotal. A chance to reset, to remind everyone why Pep remains the most revered coach of his generation, and to prove that last year was just an anomaly, not the start of decline.

Tottenham Test: Early Warning or Statement of Intent?

The coming match against Tottenham could be telling. Thomas Frank’s side are known for their tactical discipline, pressing structure, and ability to frustrate even the best. If City can swat them aside, it will suggest Guardiola’s rebuild is already bearing fruit. If not, questions will return quickly.

For Guardiola, every match now carries double weight: three points in the table, and a step in rebuilding his authority.

Conclusion: A Manager Reborn?

The headline almost sounds surreal: Pep Guardiola reveals what saved his job during a really poor season. For nearly a decade, he has seemed untouchable, immune to the managerial churn that swallows others. But even Pep, it turns out, isn’t invincible.

He admits he was almost sacked. He knows the patience of his backers won’t last forever. And he understands that only one thing truly matters at City: winning.

The 2024-25 campaign nearly broke him. The 2025-26 season might just define him.