It will be the end of an era, and ahead of that, just before he attends a final game, Pep Guardiola has revealed that his single biggest regret is in a candid interview marking the end of his decade-long tenure at Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola admits biggest regret at Manchester City was handling of Joe Hart's departure
While stating that people do make mistakes, his biggest regret as a manager of the Sky Blues was the swift decision to move on from club legend Joe Hart shortly after arriving in 2016.
Guardiola confessed he did not give the England international goalkeeper sufficient opportunity to adapt to his tactical demands, particularly the emphasis on playing out from the back. During an interview with Sky Sports, he said:
"I want to confess something. I have just one regret that I have hid deep inside for many years."
Guardiola added:
"I didn't give Joe Hart the chance to be with me, to prove himself how good a keeper he was. And I should have done."
The City manager added that while he respects successors Claudio Bravo and Ederson, the timing and manner of Hart's exit weighed on him. The admission comes as Guardiola prepares to depart the club following Sunday's final Premier League match, having transformed City into a dominant force with multiple titles.
Hart, who had been a stalwart for City with two Premier League titles and multiple Golden Gloves to his name, was loaned to Torino in 2016 and later joined Burnley before moving to Celtic. Many fans and observers viewed the move as emblematic of Guardiola's ruthless rebuild.
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