Pep Guardiola sat his Manchester City players down after a home loss to Bayer Leverkusen in November 2025 and told them he was done.
“It’s unacceptable this lack of courage, passion and love and desire to win and do it better. I work for you. I leave my life, my divorce and my family is away, and everything for all of you. And what do you give back?” Guardiola told the dressing room, in footage captured by director Kevin Macdonald’s cameras.
“It’s a disgrace guys. I’m really f***ing tired. When I see that I’m exhausted, I’m drained. I want to quit.”
The scene sits inside “A Beautiful Obsession”, the four-part docuseries released on Prime Video today. It covers Guardiola’s last two seasons at City with unfiltered access to the manager, the squad and the club’s boardroom.
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The Leverkusen night that broke something
City lost 2-0 to Leverkusen at the Etihad on 25 November 2025 in the Champions League league phase. Guardiola had rotated heavily from a weekend defeat at Newcastle, benching Erling Haaland among others.
Alejandro Grimaldo scored inside the first half; Patrik Schick added a header in the 54th minute to end City’s unbeaten league-phase record, Sky Sports reported at the time.
“If I am a problem you have to tell me. I won’t stay here for the money or just for the fact of staying. I extended my contract because I want to be with you. I want to fight.”
Kyle Walker’s revolt
The other exposed nerve belongs to Kyle Walker. After a 2-0 defeat at Liverpool in December 2024, the then-captain confronted his manager in front of team-mates.
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“Pep, you keep saying my name, every meeting in every f***ing thing. Every f***ing meeting it’s my name.”
Guardiola replied: “You don’t understand, Kyle.”
Later in the same exchange, the manager added: “Maybe it’s because you are captain.”
Walker played only three more games for City before asking to leave. He joined AC Milan on loan in January 2025 and moved permanently to Burnley last summer.
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He is now in the Championship, firmly committed to the Clarets after Everton speculation this month, and lined up in Burnley’s opening fixture of the 2026-27 season against West Ham on Sunday.
Maresca takes over
Guardiola stepped away from City in the summer after a decade in charge. Enzo Maresca, once his assistant during the 2022-23 treble, was appointed his successor on a three-year deal from Chelsea. “A Beautiful Obsession” runs to four episodes on Prime Video, directed by Kevin Macdonald.
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