Pep Guardiola is set for an emotional Etihad return when Manchester City host PSG, his first visit since leaving the club after a decade in charge

Pep Guardiola is set to make his first return to the Etihad Stadium since leaving Manchester City when the English champions welcome Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League next week.

Also read: ‘Good Luck, Legend’ – Infantino Bids Emotional Farewell to Messi

According to BBC Sport, the former City manager is expected to attend the fixture on Wednesday, October 14, bringing him back to the stadium where he spent 10 hugely successful years.

Guardiola left Manchester City at the end of last season after a remarkable spell in charge that transformed the club into one of European football’s dominant forces.

His return is expected to attract considerable attention, particularly given the significance of the Champions League meeting and his enduring relationship with the club.

Guardiola arrived at Manchester City in 2016 and went on to oversee one of the most successful periods in the club’s history.

During his decade in charge, the Spanish coach guided City to six Premier League titles, including a record-breaking four consecutive league championships.

His honours also included the Champions League, three FA Cups and five League Cups.

The most significant achievement came in the 2022/23 season, when City won the Champions League for the first time in their history.

That triumph formed part of an historic treble, with Guardiola’s side also lifting the Premier League and FA Cup during the same campaign.

His tactical approach, possession-based football and sustained domestic success established him as one of the defining managers of the modern era.

Guardiola’s return to the Etihad comes at a particularly significant moment for Manchester City.

The club is dealing with the fallout from the independent commission’s findings concerning the Premier League’s 115 charges relating to alleged financial-rule breaches between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.

City were found guilty of the majority of the charges and have appealed the findings.

The club has continued to deny any wrongdoing.

Guardiola has also maintained his support for City’s ownership and leadership throughout the process.

Earlier this month, the former manager reiterated that he would “always” stand behind the club and expressed his belief that City would deal with the situation together.

The former City boss had previously made his position clear on the possibility of severe sanctions arising from the Premier League case.

In November 2024, Guardiola said he would remain at Manchester City even if the club were relegated as a consequence of the charges.

His comments underlined the strength of his relationship with the club and its leadership, even as the case continued to attract widespread attention.

Guardiola eventually departed at the end of the 2025-26 season, bringing an extraordinary 10-year tenure to a close.

Manchester City’s attention, however, will first turn to domestic action before Guardiola’s anticipated return.

City are scheduled to travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday.

Three days later, they will return home to host reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain in what promises to be a major Champions League encounter.

The fixture will therefore carry significance beyond Guardiola’s presence in the stands, with City facing one of Europe’s leading clubs in a high-profile continental contest.

For Guardiola, though, the occasion will offer an emotional return to familiar surroundings.

He will be back at the Etihad, the stadium where he spent a decade building a formidable Manchester City side and collecting a remarkable haul of major trophies.

Guardiola’s departure brought an end to one of the longest and most successful managerial partnerships in Manchester City’s history.

His return as a spectator rather than the man in the dugout will provide a striking contrast to the years when he stood on the touchline directing City’s pursuit of domestic and European honours.

For the supporters, it will be an opportunity to welcome back a manager whose tenure delivered six Premier League titles, a Champions League crown and several other major trophies.

Also read: ‘Good Luck, Legend’ – Infantino Bids Emotional Farewell to Messi

And with City preparing for a demanding Champions League encounter against PSG, Guardiola’s presence is likely to add another compelling layer to an already significant night at the Etihad.