Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has indicated that he is open to extending his stay at the Premier League champions beyond 2021 when his current contract ends even though the club faces a potential two-year Champions League suspension.
City were banned from European competition for the next two seasons and fined 30 million euros ($32.53 million) by European soccer‘s governing body UEFA last week after an investigation into alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play rules.
Guardiola, who this week stated that he had no reason to leave the club in the close season, said he would take a call on an extension after talking to City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak “at the end of the season or in the middle of next season.”
“I’m working with exceptional players and I have the feeling that they follow us 100%. Knowing how it’s not easy working with us and with me, but I’m happy,” Guardiola told reporters.
“That’s the only reason why, when I move from one place, always it’s because I’m thinking I can be happier than the place that I was before.
“We’ve got incredible owners and a good relationship, so I think it will not be a problem to understand both sides, if we decide to stay three more years or stay in the time we are together.”
Guardiola, who has never spent more than four years at his previous clubs Barcelona (2008-2012) and Bayern Munich (2013-2016), signed a one-year contract extension at City in 2018 — a decision he said he did not regret.
“The important thing is that I didn’t regret one second to come here and extend the contract,” he added. “After that results dictate our job… Every manager is sacked, every manager has problems, every manager has good and bad moments.
“I am no different. I don’t regret one moment the decision we made together and I want to finish this contract and after that we will see.”
REUTERS