Table of Contents
Pep Guardiola has decided to stay with Manchester City for one more year, according to multiple sources. Guardiola’s contract was originally planned to end after this season.
The 53-year-old coach from Spain joined City in 2016. He has won 18 trophies with the team, including six Premier League titles.
During his time in Manchester, he led City to win the Treble—the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League in one season. City is also the first men’s team to win four Premier League titles in a row and get 100 Premier League points in one season.
Currently, City is in second place in the Premier League, five points behind Liverpool. They are on a losing streak, with four losses in a row. It’s the first time in Guardiola’s career that he has lost four games in a row.
Guardiola has extended his contract three times before: in May 2018, November 2020, and November 2022. After City won their fourth straight league title last May, he said he was “closer to leaving than staying.” Guardiola was also sad when City’s football director, Begiristain, announced that he was going to leave the club.
Guardiola wants to be sure that any new contract is the best choice for the club. Some people say that uncertainty about Guardiola’s future is affecting the team’s performance.
City is also in trouble with the Premier League. There are 115 charges against the team. If the team is guilty, there will be a severe penalty.
Guardiola is now the longest-serving manager in the Premier League after Jurgen Klopp left Liverpool this summer.
Vocabulary
- Decide – to choose something; make a choice from many different options; select
- According to – as ‘someone’ said; as stated by ‘someone’; in the opinion of ‘someone’
- Multiple – more than one; several; numerous; many; some
- Source – any thing or place from which something comes from or is obtained; origin; where something comes from; the original; a reference; a person who tells secrets
- Contract – an agreement between two or more people or organizations; an agreement to perform or complete a job
- Originally – at first; in the beginning;
- Season – a time period or time of year when a sport is played; a fixed/set number of games for one year of a sport
- Coach – team manager; the boss of a team; someone who supports you
- Trophy – A prize given to the winner of a game or competition; 🏆
- Including – together with; as well as; part of a group or many; plus
- Title – the position of being the champion of a major sports competition; the holder of the first prize trophy
- Lead – To be in charge; to guide others
- Treble – Winning three major competitions/tournaments in the same season;
- In a row – something happening a number of times, one after the other; consecutively; in succession
- Place – position or rank in a competition/tournament; 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place, etc.
- Point – A unit of scoring in a game or sports league; A score in a game or competition;
- Losing streak – Losing many games in a row
- Streak – A series of successes or achievements; A series of events that happen one after another
- Career – A person’s occupation or profession; the job or jobs you have over your whole life
- Extend – To make something longer or go further;
- Straight – Without stopping
- Director – boss, leader, head, manager
- Announce – share information openly; to tell the public; to make a statement; to report
- Uncertainty – Doubt; not being sure; low confidence
- Affect – to have an influence on or to change something;
- Performance – the act of doing something, such as your job; how well someone does their job; the action of entertaining other people by dancing, singing, acting, playing music, playing a sport, etc.
- In trouble – When you do something wrong and someone, like a teacher, parent or boss talks to you about it and/or punishes you; Facing a problem or difficulty
- Charge – blame; accusation; when someone says you did something wrong
- Guilty – responsible for breaking a law or doing something wrong; at fault; in the wrong
- Severe – Something very serious or extreme
- Penalty – A punishment; fine
- Longest-serving manager – the manager who is working for the longest period of time
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- Do you think Guardiola is one of the greatest football managers of all time? Why or why not?
- In your opinion, is it good for Manchester City that Guardiola stays longer?
- Why do you think Manchester City’s performance has not been good lately?
- Do coaches get worse as they get older?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
Pep Guardiola has _____ to stay with Manchester City for one more year, according to _____ sources. Guardiola’s contract was originally _____ to end after this season.
The 53-year-old coach from _____ joined City in 2016. He has won 18 trophies with the team, including _____ Premier League titles.
During his time in Manchester, _____ led City to win the Treble—the Premier League, FA Cup, and _____ League in one season. City is also the first men’s team to _____ four Premier League titles in a row and get 100 Premier League _____ in one season.
Currently, City is in _____ place in the Premier League, five points behind Liverpool. They are on a _____ streak, with four losses in a row. It’s the first _____ in Guardiola’s career that he has lost four games in a row.
Guardiola has _____ his contract three times before: in May 2018, November 2020, and November _____. After City won their fourth straight league _____ last May, he said he was “closer to leaving than staying.” Guardiola was also sad when City’s _____ director, Begiristain, announced that he was going to leave the club.
Guardiola _____ to be sure that any new contract is the best choice for the _____. Some people say that uncertainty about Guardiola’s future is affecting the _____ performance.
City is also in trouble with the Premier League. _____ are 115 charges against the team. If the team is guilty, there will be a severe _____.
Guardiola is now the longest-serving manager in the Premier League _____ Jurgen Klopp left Liverpool this summer.
