Port Vale

Pep Guardiola teases Man City stay amid exit talk - 'It will be good'

Pep Guardiola spoke of lessons he can take into next season amid continued uncertainty that he will remain at Manchester City . Some Blues are worried he could call it a day after 10 years at the Etihad with a number of factors suggesting a summer departure. City's manager spent a day this week watching Stockport against Port Vale in League One as a guest of the County owner, and much of his press conference on Friday was spent looking back warmly at his decade in English football , including memories of travelling with his son to watch one of Neil Warnock's team play. Guardiola has previously pointed to the fact that he has one more year left on his contract when asked about his future, without ever confirming that he will see it out. Those close to him note he has seen out every deal that he has signed, and City's stance is and has always been that they would like him to stay forever. Click here to find out the latest Manchester City news in our daily newsletter City are looking to add the Premier League and FA Cup to the Carabao Cup they have already won this season, and while a domestic treble could be a perfect farewell, Guardiola has already turned down similar exit opportunities. Asked about his feelings going into the final three weeks of the season, the Catalan brought up how he has learnt something to implement in the Champions League next season. "Last season was 24 hours thinking what will happen at the club if we will not qualify for the Champions League. I felt it a lot. I can't imagine teams who are [trying] to not be relegated because it changes clubs. Players change, financially you can't invest in good players and in the end that is the reason why teams have success," he said. "This season we won the Carabao Cup, FA Cup final again and still fighting against this Arsenal, so what can I say? It is really good. I would love to go through in the Champions League but the level is higher and it will be good learnings for me for the next season. It will be good for that competition how sometimes you have to approach." Guardiola's words for next season will not be enough to convince everyone that he will be around for it, although he has already surprised even himself by staying at the Etihad for as long as he has. Whether or not 10 years turns into 11, the manager praised the player care department and the club for maintaining conditions that have allowed him to stay at the top of the game. "I wouldn't have been 10 years, 10 seasons if I don't have the environment," he added. "Aymeric Laporte - who was another player that helped us incredibly a lot to understand what you had to do from behind, from build-ups, commits, and this kind of stuff - in a newspaper in Spain said, ‘City is the best club in the world, you never realise how good they are, how incredibly organised, until you leave’. "And that is the biggest compliment we can get, that the players can leave and say, ‘That place was incredible,’ and I have the same feeling. I wouldn't be 10 years, even with good titles if I don't have incredible environment. Now I still have incredible energy, still I'm so good, coming here to work on my day off. Because I realised from many, many details that, I think Aymeric explained perfectly, there are many details that make how the people take care of all of us, the organisation, all of us in all details. "Our families, our little, little details that make my job as a manager, the players, just think about what you have to do. And that's why I am here… of course we're here because we won a lot and that’s why they don't fire you because they continue to trust you because you have success but apart from that the club is really, really extraordinary. Extraordinary. "And I love when Gundo came back from Barcelona and said, ‘Man City is top, top’. You know, when that happens, we are in a good way. That's why we are consistently the Champions League for the last 12, 13, 14 years. That's why we are always fighting for the titles, because they are consistent around the tactics, the systems, the players, the managers. You know? It's like a bubble that makes people feel good."

2026-05-04

Enzo Fernández may captain Chelsea again despite being dropped for Madrid comments

Chelsea are open to Enzo Fernández captaining the side again this season and hope to reintegrate the midfielder after his comments over his future. Fernández, who is on Real Madrid’s shortlist as they look to revamp their midfield, was dropped after whipping up a storm during last month’s international break. The Argentina international was not particularly subtle when he mentioned Madrid as the European city in which he would most like to live and praised the former Real Madrid midfielders Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. He also angered Chelsea by questioning the departure of Enzo Maresca, who was replaced by Liam Rosenior as head coach in January. Rosenior reacted by saying Fernández’s various remarks “crossed a line” and, with the backing of the hierarchy, suspended the £106.7m midfielder for last Saturday’s FA Cup win over Port Vale and this Sunday’s crucial Premier League game against Manchester City. The punishment raised questions over Fernández’s status within the squad given he is viewed from the outside as Chelsea’s vice-captain and has led the side when Reece James has been out. Within Stamford Bridge, though, the situation is regarded as more nuanced. Fernández was never officially made vice-captain and is viewed as one of several co-captains. Fernández is part of the leadership group, but has not, for instance, been bestowed with greater seniority than his midfield teammate Moisés Caicedo. Cole Palmer was captain last Saturday and with James out with a hamstring injury Caicedo is expected to be captain against City. There is a recognition Fernández is an “alpha” character, making it natural for him to deputise as captain. With nothing official around the role, though, a decision over whether to reallocate the vice-captaincy is not one Chelsea have had to make. Club sources have been clear that the 25-year-old remains part of the leadership group. Chelsea are assessing his response to his sanction and hope that he puts himself in a position to captain the side again. Rosenior was pleased Fernández was at Stamford Bridge for the Port Vale game. A key factor is whether Fernández, whose disquiet has been attributed in part to a lack of progress in his push for a better contract, remains at the club this summer. Real Madrid are unlikely to meet Chelsea’s £100m asking price and there are not many alternative suitors for the former Benfica midfielder, whose deal runs until 2032. Javier Pastore, Fernández’s agent, last week said that his client would explore options if a new deal were not agreed after the World Cup. Pastore called Fernández’s two-game ban unfair. Chelsea are adamant it was the right call, even though they will be without one of their most important players as they seek to revive their push for Champions League qualification by beating City. They felt a stand had to be made because Fernández was deemed to have disrespected the club. Chelsea’s owners and sporting directors have no issue with being given feedback in private by players, but wanted to make clear that public dissent is counterproductive. Marc Cucurella also criticised the club in the international break, but the left-back avoided a sanction because he did so in only one interview. Fernández spoke out more than once. Chelsea face Leeds in the FA Cup semi-finals this month, but are sixth in the league and have struggled to recover from being knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain last month.

2026-04-07

Enzo Fernández may captain Chelsea again despite being dropped for Madrid comments

Chelsea are open to Enzo Fernández captaining the side again this season and hope to reintegrate the midfielder after his comments over his future. Fernández, who is on Real Madrid’s shortlist as they look to revamp their midfield, was dropped after whipping up a storm during last month’s international break. The Argentina international was not particularly subtle when he mentioned Madrid as the European city in which he would most like to live and praised the former Real Madrid midfielders Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. He also angered Chelsea by questioning the departure of Enzo Maresca, who was replaced by Liam Rosenior as head coach in January. Rosenior reacted by saying Fernández’s various remarks “crossed a line” and, with the backing of the hierarchy, suspended the £106.7m midfielder for last Saturday’s FA Cup win over Port Vale and this Sunday’s crucial Premier League game against Manchester City. The punishment raised questions over Fernández’s status within the squad given he is viewed from the outside as Chelsea’s vice-captain and has led the side when Reece James has been out. Within Stamford Bridge, though, the situation is regarded as more nuanced. Fernández was never officially made vice-captain and is viewed as one of several co-captains. Fernández is part of the leadership group, but has not, for instance, been bestowed with greater seniority than his midfield teammate Moisés Caicedo. Cole Palmer was captain last Saturday and with James out with a hamstring injury Caicedo is expected to be captain against City. There is a recognition Fernández is an “alpha” character, making it natural for him to deputise as captain. With nothing official around the role, though, a decision over whether to reallocate the vice-captaincy is not one Chelsea have had to make. Club sources have been clear that the 25-year-old remains part of the leadership group. Chelsea are assessing his response to his sanction and hope that he puts himself in a position to captain the side again. Rosenior was pleased Fernández was at Stamford Bridge for the Port Vale game. A key factor is whether Fernández, whose disquiet has been attributed in part to a lack of progress in his push for a better contract, remains at the club this summer. Real Madrid are unlikely to meet Chelsea’s £100m asking price and there are not many alternative suitors for the former Benfica midfielder, whose deal runs until 2032. Javier Pastore, Fernández’s agent, last week said that his client would explore options if a new deal were not agreed after the World Cup. Pastore called Fernández’s two-game ban unfair. Chelsea are adamant it was the right call, even though they will be without one of their most important players as they seek to revive their push for Champions League qualification by beating City. They felt a stand had to be made because Fernández was deemed to have disrespected the club. Chelsea’s owners and sporting directors have no issue with being given feedback in private by players, but wanted to make clear that public dissent is counterproductive. Marc Cucurella also criticised the club in the international break, but the left-back avoided a sanction because he did so in only one interview. Fernández spoke out more than once. Chelsea face Leeds in the FA Cup semi-finals this month, but are sixth in the league and have struggled to recover from being knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain last month.

2026-04-07