Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has lost a major component of his coaching unit following the club's historic treble triumph, with a move to MLS beckoning for his right-hand man Rodolfo Borrell.
The Eastlands club's 2023 season assumed immortality after becoming the first English team to equal Manchester United's 1999 feat in 1999 when they won the Champions League in Istanbul to complete the treble. However, the achievement will be the last dance for the Spanish coaching duo as assistant Borrell has decided to go it alone, stepping into a new post with Austin FC.
The trusted coach had been a significant part of the Cityzens' operation for the last nine years after joining the club from Liverpool, serving as academy technical director prior to Guardiola's arrival. Following two years in his post, he earned a promotion to become first-team assistant in 2016.
From there, Borrell has been a regular fixture in the dugout, with the unassuming Catalonian helping the club to some five Premier League titles in seven attempts, as well as two FA Cups before the holy grail of the Champions League was achieved this year. Bowing out in style, the 1-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League final in Turkey will now go down as the final match in what has been a fruitful partnership between the two Spaniards.
Now, a move to MLS is in store for the 52-year-old coach, with this new role representing his first as a sporting director in his illustrious and varied career. Perhaps surprisingly, Borrell has only managed at senior level once in his career at Greek club Iraklis back in 2008, after he was promoted to the role from his assistant post.
Bringing experience from operating at a host of European giants, the former La Masia coach is set to replace ex- Manchester City, Sunderland and Rangers midfielder Claudio Reyna in Texas. The 112-time USMNT international left the job at Austin FC in January, instead taking on responsibilities as the franchise's technical advisor.
Borrell will now be tasked with lending his expertise in America as his new club looks to make the MLS Cup final series in the second half of the season. Currently sitting in eighth place in the Western Conference standings, this would be enough to guarantee Los Verdes a playoffs place.
Following on from the landmark success of last season, it does appear that some change is afoot at Etihad Stadium this summer, with the Spaniard the latest key man to leave Guardiola's coaching staff. His departure follows that of Enzo Maresca, who also coached at Manchester City last season, who has taken up the post as the new head coach of Leicester City.
It is worth noting that the European champions did lose Juanma Lillo last summer before going on to win a historic treble, with the former La Liga veteran having joined Qatari outfit Al-Sadd. He became the third coach to leave Guardiola's staff to take a head coach role elsewhere following on from Mikel Arteta and Domènec Torrent.
Lillo and Guardiola remain close friends, however, with the coaching pair were spotted together prior to the Champions League final this year and it could be that the former returns to his old role at Manchester City this summer. According to the Athletic, the Cityzens are hopeful of striking a deal over a compensation package to release him from his contract with his current employers.
