Pep Guardiola: Man City preparing for boss's departure at end of season
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Manchester City are preparing for Pep Guardiola's exit after Sunday's Premier League match against Aston Villa.
Sources have told BBC Sport that the managerial great is expected to leave Etihad Stadium at the end of the season.
City maintain Guardiola has a contract for next season and are hopeful he will remain as manager.
However, work towards his anticipated exit is under way at the club, with members of staff of the understanding he will leave.
It is understood members of the squad are also anticipating his departure after the final game of the season against Villa, while the club have turned their attentions towards how best to mark the tenure of their iconic boss.
Naming the newly expanded North Stand after their departing manager is an option the club are understood to be considering.
Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who worked under Guardiola at City, is the front-runner to replace the 55-year-old.
Guardiola has led City to 17 major trophies - and 20 in all - including six Premier League titles, the Champions League, three FA Cups and five EFL Cups during his 10 years at City.
The club's greatest boss is widely regarded as one of the best managers of all time, and could yet still cap his stellar spell at Etihad Stadium with a seventh Premier League title, having already won the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup this season.
Speculation about the manager's future has been rife for months, with the question about his tenure at Manchester City often coming up in news conferences.
He was asked on Friday whether the following day's trip to Wembley for the FA Cup final would be his last visit there. "No way," he said, reminding reporters he had "one more year" on his contract.
And in a interview with BBC Sport before Saturday's FA Cup final, when asked if he will still be at the club next season, he replied: "Yeah."
The ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss added: "I am here, I have a contract."
The same question came earlier on Monday at a news conference to preview Tuesday's trip to Bournemouth.
Guardiola was asked about Andoni Iraola's departure from the Cherries and whether he had thought about his own farewell.
He sighed and said: "Next. So many times – I have one more year."
He was also asked about the prospect of the North Stand being named after him.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, I have no idea [about] that," he said.
"They don't have to do anything, honestly."
RHS Chelsea Flower Show: Charles and Camilla view gardens as gnome ban lifted
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On the shelf, also waiting for the royal arrival, there were gnomes of Sir David, Alan and King Charles. Although to be fair to the famous footballer, the years haven't been kind to his gnome version, even if they've caught his current hair colour.
Manhunt after reports teens raped on Great Yarmouth beach
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Andrew Bird, who had been camping on the beach, told the BBC that he had not heard any commotion overnight, but when he woke up on Saturday morning, a cordon had been put up on a section of the sand.
Musk loses OpenAI court battle as he waited too long to sue
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As the jury found that the statue of limitations, a set timeframe for when legal accusations need to be made in order to be considered, had lapsed for Musk's claims of breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment, the jury was not required to consider the merits of his claims.
Jewish man 'kicked like animal' as police probe antisemitic attack
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"It felt far away for me and I was feeling safe. But now when it's happened to me, I think something big needs to change in London, and in Europe."
Tribute to 'fearless' soldier who died after fall from horse at royal show
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"An immensely professional soldier and an exceptional jockey, she approached every day within The Troop with an infectious energy - the kind that lifted those around her without effort or intention - and was unfailingly present for her comrades in both the small moments and the hard ones."
Farage facing new questions over home purchase funding
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"His excuses for taking it keep changing - if the property wasn't paid for with proceeds from his reality TV career, as he claimed, the public will rightly ask where the money came from."
What is the Royal Pop pocket watch and is it worth the hype?
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"I feel it is something that can be treasured that you could pass on. It could be memorable, treasurable and go up in time if it is a limited stock," said Corzo, who has been queuing for days and said he has seen an improvement in the communication and cooperation of the crowds.
Elon Musk just lost another lawsuit. Will he keep fighting?
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In addition to a tendency towards the unconventional, Musk also has the deepest pockets on earth. He is poised to soon be the world's first trillionaire given his stake in SpaceX, another of his companies that is expected to be publicly listed in the near future.
Chelsea Flower Show: Celebrities paint garden gnomes for charity as ban lifts
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The Royal Horticultural Society has temporarily lifted a ban on garden gnomes at the Chelsea Flower Show.
Alan Titchmarsh, Dame Mary Berry and David Beckham are among the famous faces to have painted gnomes to raise funds for a Royal Horticultural Society campaign for school gardening.
The BBC's Sarah Campbell went to see the gnomes ahead of this year's Chelsea Flower Show opening on Tuesday. It runs until Saturday 23 May.
What is Ebola, how does it spread and why is the DR Congo outbreak an 'emergency'?
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Neither the government nor the rebels have said whether they would be willing to put aside their differences to work together to tackle the outbreak.
London stabbing of journalist was by men working for Iran, court told
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Officers found him wearing gloves and a blue surgical face mask, and with a pair of scissors in his pocket. An unidentified man with him appeared to be carrying some kind of sports bat in a bag. Stana left the UK for Romania soon afterwards.
Judge rules gun and writings admissible in Luigi Mangione's state trial
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Carro also ruled that some of Mangione's questioning by the officers who initially encountered him at the Pennsylvania fast food restaurant must be excluded from trial. Those include questions about Mangione lying about his name, and asking if he had a fake identification card.
Gunman kills six and injures eight in Turkey, media reports say
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Reports say the male suspect allegedly first shot dead his ex-wife before driving to a restaurant and killing its owner and an employee. Three more people - a shepherd, a lorry driver and another person - were killed nearby.
'Miles away' - Arsenal's Kai Havertz 'lucky' to avoid red card against Burnley
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Kai Havertz took Arsenal closer to winning their first Premier League title in 22 years, but nearly went from hero to villain as he was fortunate to not be sent off.
The 26-year-old German started instead of in-form Viktor Gyokeres and repaid Mikel Arteta's faith in him when he headed in Bukayo Saka's corner to give the Gunners a 37th-minute lead over Burnley.
But Havertz very nearly was dismissed midway through the second half, when, in the middle of the pitch, he slid in and his studs caught Lesley Ugochukwu on his left calf.
Havertz was only booked by referee Paul Tierney, with video assistant referee James Bell not advising the official to watch the incident back on a pitchside monitor.
Mikel Arteta decided to replace Havertz with Gyokeres minutes later as the Gunners held on for a nervy 1-0 win to move one win away from becoming champions.
Former England defender Gary Neville, commentating for Sky Sports, said: "Vicious from Havertz. He is miles away from the ball. I don't like that. The height of it and the fact it is on the standing leg."
After VAR did not get involved, Neville added: "I don't think that is right. He is a lucky boy."
A statement from the Premier League Match Centre said: "The referee's call of yellow card to Havertz was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the challenge deemed not to be serious foul play."
Roberto de Zerbi: Tottenham boss says rival fans wanting Spurs down is motivation
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Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi says knowing rival fans are willing the club to be relegated from the Premier League is a "big motivation" to stay up.
Spurs are two points above West Ham, who occupy the final relegation place, and have a vastly better goal difference (-9) than their London rivals (-22) having played a game fewer.
That means a point from either of their last two fixtures - at Chelsea on Tuesday or against Everton at the Tottenham Stadium - will safeguard their top-flight status bar a set of freak results.
Chelsea supporters will be keen to pile the misery on to Spurs when the sides meet at Stamford Bridge.
But De Zerbi said his players have to "enjoy this pressure", calling a "good thing" for them to have.
"We have to find new motivation from this pressure. If everyone wants Tottenham relegated, it's a big motivation for me and I hope for my players as well," he told a news conference.
"We have to accept that football is nice because of the rivalry. It's good to imagine ourselves celebrating the win in their stadium. It's the reason football is like this, no?"
The Italian insists the external pressure should serve as fuel rather than a distraction for his squad.
De Zerbi said: "It's a motivation, it's a challenge. If a challenge is tougher, it's better for us to find new motivation and to be focused on staying together from the beginning to the end of the game.
"The pride is amazing motivation. The pride, if everyone wants Tottenham relegated, I think for one Tottenham player, one Tottenham fan, all the people who work inside Tottenham, it has to be the biggest motivation."
Even though Spurs only realistically need a point, De Zerbi has warned his players not to approach the game playing for a draw.
"We can't start the game thinking to draw," he explained.
"We have to start the game and we prepare the game and we speak in the meeting to win the game.
"Everybody wants to stay up, everyone wants to achieve this goal and then we can speak about everything."
PGMO admits handball error on Man Utd goal v Forest
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Manchester United's second goal in Sunday's Premier League win over Nottingham Forest should have been disallowed for handball, Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) has admitted.
The referees' body contacted Forest on Monday to confirm there had been a misjudgement by referee Michael Salisbury, who rejected a video assistant referee (VAR) review to rule out the goal.
The ball came off the arm of United forward Bryan Mbeumo before the Cameroon international saw a shot blocked by a defender.
Team-mate Matheus Cunha moved on to the loose ball and fired a shot past Forest keeper Matz Sels to score.
Salisbury was sent to the pitchside monitor by the VAR, Matt Donohue, to disallow the goal.
But Salisbury decided the handball was accidental and stuck by his on-field decision of goal.
It put United 2-1 up in a game they went on to win 3-2.
"From the angle I was standing at, it looked like he caught the ball," Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White said after the game.
"Whether he scores or not, for me it was still a handball."
Referees' boss Howard Webb spoke to Forest to explain that while there could be justifiable reasons to judge this was not handball, a better decision, and one that would be expected, is for it to be disallowed.
The Premier League has a more lenient approach to handball, understanding the natural movements of players, but the VAR review should have been accepted.
Webb's view was shared by former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann.
"While I think that it is commendable to see a referee stick with his original decision, I believe that football's expectation is Mbeumo controlling the ball, especially when it leads to a goal, outweighs the possible deflection off Mbeumo's hip," Cann told BBC Sport.
"Mbeumo does control the ball [with his hand] and while he's not the scorer himself, football's expectation is for that to be disallowed."
It was only the 17th time in seven seasons - and the fourth this season - that a referee has rejected the advice of the VAR at the screen.
Footballers' charity criticised by Charity Commission
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"Serious mismanagement" at a charity set up to help former and current professional footballers put funds at risk, a Charity Commission inquiry has found.
The inquiry was launched in 2019 because the Commission had "serious concerns" about how the Professional Footballers' Association Charity - now called the Players Foundation - was being run.
It has now published a highly critical report which details a series of failings.
They include £1.9m of funds from the Football Association being transferred from the charity's bank account to the Professional Footballers' Association, the players' union, "without a clear explanation".
The charity also paid about 80% of the union's operating costs - around £6m annually, including £5m on salaries. "Multiple trustees" - including former chief executive Gordon Taylor - held salaried senior PFA roles, creating a conflict of interest.
Funding a trade union is not considered a charitable purpose in law, the regulator said.
The charity also owned properties in Manchester in London which the union occupied rent-free. That cost the charity more than £627,000 when interest was added, the Commission said.
The £1.9m and unpaid rent were returned following the Commission's intervention.
The charity received an official warning from the regulator in September 2022 "for mismanagement that had taken place from its incorporation in 2013 to the beginning of 2019".
A trustee, Darren Wilson - who was the PFA's director of finance - was disqualified from being a trustee or holding a senior management position in a charity for four years.
"Remedial actions have now been implemented at the charity, including proper separation from the union, appointment of new trustees, and establishment of a distinct identity for the charity," the Charity Commission said.
"It has also adopted a new funding model, after the Football Association and Premier League stopped funding of the charity upon its separation from the union."
Firm fined after North Sea worker fell to death through hole in rig
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"Grating systems must be designed, installed and maintained so that they do not present a risk to anyone that may use them, particularly when used in environments where they are susceptible to damage," he added.
Cardiff bride has two weddings in two days for grandad with dementia
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"When we heard about the wedding, we absolutely wanted to make it an occasion to remember and we are delighted that Emma got to share this precious moment with George and the rest of the family on this very special day."
Americanswers... on 5 Live! Has Zohran Mamdani achieved a miracle in New York?
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Available for over a year
NYC’s new mayor says his new budget will save the city billions without having to cut key services. In a social media post, Zohran Mamdani told New Yorkers his administration “uncovered a $12 billion budget deficit. Today, I’m proud to say we brought it down to zero. We didn’t close the gap on the backs of working people.”But beyond the headlines, how accurate is this, and what do New Yorkers say about it? In this episode, Justin, Anthony and Marianna answer your questions with Matt Chorley on 5 Live.They also talk about whether Trump’s social media posts now carry less weight, particularly when it comes to Iran, and a new move by Senate Democrats to take funding away from the president’s plans for a new ballroom. And, how the US president is further expanding the brand of Donald Trump, including with a Trump-branded gold phone. HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent • Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations Senior Correspondent GET IN TOUCH: • Join our online community: https://discord.gg/qSrxqNcmRB • Send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 330 123 9480 • Email [email protected] • Or use #Americast This episode was made by Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. The technical producer was Jack Graysmark. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app. You can now listen to Americast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Americast”. It works on most smart speakers. US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155 Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Newscast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below. Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd Top Comment: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m001mssm
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Pep Guardiola: Man City manager's legacy of genius will echo for years to come
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Pep Guardiola's great mentor and inspiration Johan Cruyff once said: "Winning is an important thing, but to have your own style, to have people copy you, to admire you... this is the greatest gift."
As Manchester City prepare for the departure of the Catalan genius after a decade in charge, Guardiola's legacy can be seen as a monument to the legendary Dutchman who cast his spell over him as a youngster at Barcelona.
Cruyff said: "Winning is just one day. A reputation will last a lifetime."
Guardiola's will, indeed, last forever.
Six Premier Leagues, the Champions League, three FA Cups, five League Cups, the Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup won - all in his own brilliant style, or at least the style he feels Cruyff bequeathed him.
And it is one that has been admired and copied - a gift left behind for the domestic game to study for years to come.
Guardiola openly admits - with a hefty helping of modesty, it should be stressed - he "knew nothing" about football until he fell under Cruyff's instruction, describing him as: "The most influential person in football history."
The high point of Guardiola's relationship with Cruyff came when Barcelona won the European Cup (now Champions League) for the first time against Sampdoria at Wembley in 1992. He was the Barca academy graduate who took his place in the so-called 'Dream Team' alongside stellar names such as goalscorer Ronald Koeman, Michael Laudrup and Hristo Stoichkov.
Now, as Cruyff did in Spain, Guardiola has created a legacy that has changed the face of football at every level in England.
In his decade at City, Guardiola has not just shaped elite football and the game in the league's pyramids. He has had an impact at every level down to grassroots, where even junior coaches adopt his strategies.
As Guardiola has micro-managed City's players like a great conductor from the sidelines, he has produced teams, styles, and tactical innovations that will provide a framework for the modern game, now and in the future.
Guardiola has effectively shaped the game's future at all levels, from Manchester City themselves to the Premier League and throughout Europe.
Mikel Arteta, who is on the verge of beating City to the Premier League title with Arsenal, was given his first senior coaching post as Guardiola's assistant.
Enzo Maresca, expected to succeed him at Manchester City, was another member of his coaching staff who then went to Leicester City, taking them back into the Premier League before winning the Europa Conference League and the Fifa Club World Cup at Chelsea.
Luis Enrique worked with Barcelona's junior teams under Guardiola before succeeding him and winning the Champions League in 2015. He has since won it again with a superb team at Paris St-Germain and is now in a second successive final against Arsenal in Budapest.
Vincent Kompany, now flourishing at Bayern Munich, learned from Guardiola while Manchester City's captain, while Xabi Alonso - just appointed as new Chelsea manager - worked under him when he moved from Real Madrid to Bayern Munich in 2014.
Quite simply, Guardiola's fingerprints touch football at all levels.
Managers and coaches follow the method of playing out from the back, with the goalkeeper needing to be as good with his feet as with his hands. It was one of the reasons Guardiola jettisoned Joe Hart upon arrival at Etihad Stadium.
Married at First Sight UK brides say they were raped by onscreen husbands
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Lawyers for CPL said they followed their welfare protocols, they took Chloe's concerns seriously during filming and that before she made the rape allegation, she had told CPL all sexual activity was fully consensual. They also said Chloe was supported throughout the process and afterwards and that she didn't ask to be removed from the show, as broadcast.
New police unit to target crime gangs fronting High Street shops
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In May and June of last year the team found secret underground tunnels supplying sacks of illegal cigarettes to High Street mini-marts in Hull, with authorities warning us that there was a "war" against organised crime that they couldn't win, with the profits from counterfeit tobacco now rivalling "heroin and cocaine" in a black market worth up to £6bn a year.
Trump says he called off new Iran attack at request of Gulf states
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Trump said there seemed to be "a very good chance" of an agreement with Iran, adding: "If we can do that without bombing the hell out of them, I would be very happy."
Faisal Islam: Burnham seeks to calm markets by committing to fiscal rules
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"There needs to be a plan to get debt down, but beyond that, we need to change politics and take the turbulence out of British politics because that is a cause of uncertainty that then has that impact in the markets."
Hayden Davies: Ex-British soldier imprisoned by Russia says he feels abandoned in occupied Ukraine
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He believes it's very difficult for the government to get involved in prisoner exchanges: "The best outcome is if it goes through Ukraine. I can understand there's a lot of frustration over lack of access but if Russia doesn't let diplomats in to see POWs, there's not a lot you can do," says Pinner.
What really holds China and Russia together
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In reality, this is a useful political tool to smooth over occasional differences in interests. While both governments oppose what they view as "Western hegemony", their approaches to this can diverge. Russia, the analyst suggested, wants to build a world order that bypasses the US entirely, but China remains more cautious and pragmatic. Beijing is often thought to eschew rash decision-making and prioritise patience and gradual gains to secure long-term outcomes.
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