Guardiola loses right-hand man as Man City coach Lillo quits for Qatar club

Veteran coach leaves the Etihad Stadium to take over at Al-Sadd Sports Club after playing his part in two Premier League title successes

Juanma Lillo, Pep Guardiola's assistant coach at Manchester City, has moved on to become head coach of Al-Sadd Sports Club in Qatar.

Since his arrival at the club in June 2020, the Spaniard has had a significant impact, leading City to two Premier League championships and the Champions League final.

He will be missed by his coaching staff, but Guardiola hasn't held back from allowing his predecessors, Mikel Arteta and Domenec Torrent to take advantage of excellent possibilities when they departed for new challenges.

How big of an impact will Lillo have on the lives of those around her?
For Guardiola, Lillo's 40-year tenure as an international coach included stints in Spain, Mexico, and China.

"His depth of knowledge of the game is astonishing. Few people in the world, including myself, witness what Lillo does," Guardiola stated about the youngster in 2021.

Despite his lack of English fluency, he was also a favorite among the players, especially those who spoke Spanish or Portuguese.

Who is going to replace him??
Rodolfo Borrell, the former Liverpool coach who served as Guardiola's No. 2 previously, is still part of his coaching team.

Additionally, the decision to keep Carlos Vicens, who had previously agreed to take over at Heracles Almelo in the Netherlands, helps.

When Arteta left for Arsenal in 2019, it was in the middle of the season, and Guardiola now has the summer to find a successor for Lillo that works for him.

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How did he like it there?
After announcing his departure, he commented, "My time at Manchester City has been one of the most pleasurable times of my career."

Working with Pep, his staff, and this group of players has been an honor, and I hope I've helped in some little way to the incredible success we've had on the field.

In closing, I would like to extend my best wishes to the club and hope that they can accomplish all of their goals in the future.


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