Into the final year of his contract at Manchester City, questions are being asked again about Pep Guardiola바카라s future. (More Football News)
The latest came after Wednesday바카라s Champions League game against Inter Milan, with an Italian journalist asking if Guardiola could see himself working in Italy one day.
바카라I love English football, it is fantastic, really enjoyable. They leave you alone to get on with the job. That doesn바카라t happen anywhere else,바카라 the City manager said.
Guardiola has already stayed at City for longer than any of his other managerial jobs - and longer than many expected when he was appointed in 2016.
It will be nine years by the end of the season, compared to four at Barcelona and three at Bayern Munich.
바카라It바카라s a great club. I really feel good being here,바카라 he said.
Guardiola likely knows he will never find another club like City in elite European football. Backed by the spectacular riches of Abu Dhabi바카라s ruling family, he has been allowed to build a team in his image, with exorbitant amounts spent to assemble a squad that has enjoyed unprecedented dominance of the Premier League.
He has close relationships with his immediate superiors at the club - CEO Ferran Soriano and sporting director Txiki Begiristain, who he previously worked with at Barcelona - and he is idolised by the supporters.
That바카라s a difficult package to walk away from and whenever the possibility has arisen, Guardiola has been convinced to extend his contract.
It has reached that point once again where he must decide if he has the energy or will to go on for longer.
The outcome of the hearing into more than 115 charges of alleged financial breaches that was due to start this week could also be a factor.
Jurgen Klopp바카라s decision to stand down at Liverpool last season was evidence of the toll football can take on managers. For long periods he matched Guardiola stride for stride in the battle for supremacy - and even halted City바카라s rule when winning the title in 2020.
The intensity of their rivalry forced each man to greater heights and in January Klopp made the shock announcement that he needed a break from it all.
바카라It is not what I want to (do), it is just what I think is 100% right,바카라 the German said at the time.
Guardiola did likewise when taking a 12-month sabbatical after his first job at Barcelona. He바카라s now been in continuous employment since taking over at Bayern in 2013 - winning league titles in all but two of those 11 seasons.
Those are the levels he has been operating at and that dominance should not be confused with an easy ride - particularly during his time in England when Klopp바카라s Liverpool and latterly Mikel Arteta바카라s Arsenal have pushed City to the limits of their powers to remain at the summit.
Arteta has added a new dimension to England바카라s top flight by transforming Arsenal바카라s fortunes since leaving his role as Guardiola바카라s assistant to take over at The Emirates Stadium in 2019.
He takes his team to City on Sunday as the man likeliest to seize Guardiola바카라s crown.
City vs. Arsenal, Guardiola vs. Arteta. These are now the biggest rivalries at the top of English football.
Two seasons ago, Arsenal spent 248 days at the top of the standings, but was eventually beaten to the title by City. No other team had spent so long in first place without being crowned champion.
Last season, Arsenal went even closer when taking the race down to the last day of the campaign, but eventually finished two points behind City.
Arteta has signed a new three-year contract, which is a statement of Arsenal바카라s faith in him to continue to challenge Guardiola.
Over the last two years, however, Arteta - like Klopp before him - has discovered the extraordinary levels required to topple City.
After topping the standings for so long in 2022-23, Arsenal recorded its most wins in a Premier League campaign - 28 - last season and still ended up empty-handed.
A return of 89 points was the club바카라s second highest in the Premier League era - one short of the 90 achieved by its 바카라Invincibles바카라 team that won the title in 2004.
Arsenal also ended a winless run against City dating back to 2016 - taking four points from two games against its title rival and still came up short.
So there is little evidence of Guardiola wilting in the face of a fresh challenger. He won a treble of trophies, including a first Champions League for City, in 2023 and an English record fourth successive top division title last term.
City is already two points ahead of Arsenal going into Sunday바카라s match and the only team with a 100% record at the start of the season.
If this is to be Guardiola바카라s final season, he is already leading it from the front.
