Manchester City have confirmed that five members of Pep Guardiola’s backroom staff have left the club alongside the legendary coach.
The Spaniard called time on his highly decorated decade with City last week, going out on a 2-1 home defeat by Aston Villa.
It brings to an end ten years of City’s domestic dominance, with former Chelsea and Leicester manager Enzo Maresca expected to step up as his replacement.
And City have now confirmed that five members of Guardiola’s support staff have joined him in leaving the club.
Chief among them is his assistant and namesake Pep Lijnders, who only joined the club last summer as he helped the club to another domestic double.
Lijnders previously served a lengthy stint as Jurgen Klopp’s assistant at Liverpool, spending ten years working alongside the German at Anfield. He led the team out at the London Stadium as City drew 1-1 with West Ham in March, with Guardiola serving a touchline ban.
Former Man City midfielder turned coach Kolo Toure was also promoted to the first team last summer, but will not remain with the club after Guardiola’s departure.
Also leaving this summer are fitness coach Lorenzo Buenaventura, operations support Manel Estiarte and head of goalkeeping Xabi Mancisidor, who has been in his post since the Manuel Pellegrini era.
Buenaventura and Estiarte, meanwhile, have followed Guardiola from club to club throughout his career, also sharing an office with him at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
A club statement read: “Everyone at City would like to thank all five members of staff for their hard work and dedication and wish them the very best of luck in the future.”
Guardiola is expected to take some time away from coaching after calling time on his association with City.
The club celebrated his legacy and City’s impressive season, during which the men’s and women’s teams have combined for three trophies so far, with a bus parade and show at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena over the bank holiday weekend.
