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Manchester City have officially announced that Pep Guardiola will step down as their manager at the end of this summer.

Guardiola has chosen not to complete the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium, bringing an end to one of the most successful managerial eras in English football.

Reports suggest that Enzo Maresca has agreed to take over on an initial three-year contract following Guardiola’s departure.

Pep Guardiola admitted that the speech he gave to inform the Manchester City squad about his decision to leave turned out to be a disaster.

The Catalan boss will lead Manchester City for the final time on Sunday when they face Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium. The match will also serve as a farewell for departing players Bernardo Silva and John Stones, alongside Guardiola himself.

Manchester City confirmed on Friday afternoon that Guardiola would leave the club this summer, opting not to serve the remaining year of his contract.

Enzo Maresca, the Spanish coach who previously worked with City’s Elite Development Squad and served as an assistant to Guardiola, is expected to be announced as his successor shortly. Maresca parted ways with Chelsea only a few months ago.

During his final pre-match press conference as City manager, Guardiola was asked when and how he broke the news of his decision to the players.

Revealing that he informed the squad on Friday morning—the same time the news became public—Guardiola confessed, “The speech was a disaster! I was so nervous, more than ever!”

On the ninth anniversary of the Manchester Arena bombing, Guardiola also reflected on the bond he has developed with Manchester and its people over his ten years in charge at the Etihad.

“When you live here for 10 years, you know all parts of the city—the good and the bad,” Guardiola said. “Cris (Serra), the mother of my kids, and my little daughter were in the Manchester Arena at that time (during the 2017 attack), and they were lucky, unlike others who weren’t. Every year—and today marks the ninth anniversary—I express that to my family deeply.”

An open-top bus parade is planned for Monday to celebrate the achievements of Manchester City’s men’s and women’s teams this season. The men’s side claimed both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, while the women’s team secured the WSL title.