Guardiola: Man City’s CWC title ‘closed a chapter’

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Pep Guardiola said he has “closed a chapter” at Manchester City after winning the Club World Cup.

City won their fifth trophy of 2023 with a 4-0 win over Fluminense in Jeddah while completing the set for Guardiola, who has won every trophy available since arriving as manager in 2016.

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Guardiola said afterward his job was “done” but with 18 months left on his contract, insisted he is still motivated to win more honours.

“It’s a beautiful, beautiful day,” said Guardiola.

“I’m very pleased and I would like to say we had the feeling we would close the chapter; we won all the titles, there’s nothing else to win. I had a feeling the job is done, it is over.

“Now it’s Christmas time, we buy another book and start to write it again. The last eight years, it’s over.”

The Club World Cup is Guardiola’s 14th major trophy as City manager after five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four Carabao Cups, the Champions League and the Super Cup.

Guardiola, 52, is under contract at the Etihad Stadium until 2025 after signing a new two-year deal in November 2022.

“When I close the chapter, it’s for eight years of incredible work behind the scenes,” he added.

“I had a feeling all the titles you can win, we have done it. It’s unbelievable what we have done. We try to buy a new book and start to write beautiful histories.

“The players out there are still hungry and motivated, I’m really pleased for many people in the club for many years. I could never think when we arrived in Manchester we could do this and finish with the World Cup.”

Meanwhile, Guardiola says he will wait to find out the extent of Rodri‘s injury after the Spain midfielder was forced off in the second half.

Rodri was on the end of a reckless challenge from Fluminense midfielder Alexsander but was able to join in the celebrations after the game.

“I didn’t speak [to the doctors],” said Guardiola.

“It looks from his face it’s good. It was a scare, the action was really tough. We’ll see in the next days how he reacts.”