Outgoing Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has opened up about a personal regret from his decorated decade at the Etihad Stadium. As he prepares for his final emotional game in charge, the Spanish tactician acknowledged that his harsh handling of a former fan favourite remains his most significant professional remorse.

Guardiola, the mastermind behind City's modern success, took many by surprise on Friday morning when he officially confirmed his departure this summer, bringing an end to a transformative ten-year spell. Reflecting on his initial decisions after taking over in 2016, the manager recalled how he dealt with long-serving goalkeeper Joe Hart.

Hart was swiftly replaced by Claudio Bravo after a challenging European Championship campaign, making only one Champions League qualifier appearance against Steaua Bucharest before being loaned out and eventually leaving the club.

Looking back, the 55-year-old manager admitted that his uncompromising approach at the time lacked fairness. Speaking to Sky Sports, Guardiola said: “I want to confess something. I have regrets. When you take a lot of decisions, you make mistakes.

“There is one regret I have deep inside for many years: I didn’t give Joe Hart the opportunity to show how good a goalkeeper he was. I should have done that. I have complete respect for Claudio [Bravo] and for Ederson, who became very important for us later. But at that moment, I should have said, ‘OK Joe, let’s try to do it together, and if it doesn’t work, then we make a change.’ But it happened.”

Guardiola’s decision to move away from Hart was guided by his tactical vision, reshaping the team’s defensive style and laying the groundwork for Ederson’s later arrival, which perfectly suited his ball-playing philosophy from the back.

He further reflected: “Sometimes I am not fair enough. I regret it when I think back. At that time, I was completely sure about my choice. I can be stubborn when I believe in something. When I have doubts, I talk to others, but in that case, I was 100 per cent convinced that it was the right move. The club supported me fully in that decision.”

On Sunday, Guardiola will lead Manchester City for the final time against Aston Villa before taking a well-deserved managerial break. Having secured a second-place finish in the Premier League, his immediate focus will turn to Monday’s celebratory parade across Manchester. Following his departure, the iconic coach will move into an ambassadorial position with the club’s foundation, combining his new role with a period of rest and reflection.