Guardiola rubbishes City job link and insists he will manage Bayern Munich next season
BAYERN Munich boss Pep Guardiola has categorically denied suggestions he will replace Manuel Pellegrini as manager of deposed Premier League champions Manchester City next season.
Guardiola, who has won a domestic league title in five of his six campaigns as a manager, was reported to have reached a verbal agreement with the Etihad Stadium hierarchy to replace Pellegrini this summer.
Pellegrini’s tenure has fallen under the spotlight after City failed to retain the Premier League crown they won under the Chilean’s leadership last year, following the club’s continued inability to reach the latter stages of the Champions League.
“I have already said 200 million times, I’ll be here next season, that’s it,” said Guardiola. “I have a year left on my contract. Next season I will be here.”
Guardiola faces a potentially perilous assignment in the second leg of his side’s Champions League semi-final against former club Barcelona tonight. Bayern trail 3-0 after a harrowing final 15 minutes at Camp Nou last week.
“We’re Bayern, before a game I’ve never said that we have no chance. Of course we do,” he added. “Barcelona are strong on the break. If we let something slip, they’ll punish us. We have to control the game.”