Six Managers Who Surpassed Guardiola in League Races

Over his managerial career, Pep Guardiola has won 12 league titles, finishing second three times and third twice. However, there have been rare occasions when he was outperformed in full league campaigns by six managers.

Jose Mourinho first achieved this in the 2011-12 La Liga season, leading Real Madrid CF to a record 100 points, finishing nine points ahead of Guardiola's FC Barcelona. Antonio Conte followed in the 2016-17 Premier League season, guiding Chelsea FC to a 15-point lead over Guardiola's Manchester City FC.

Mauricio Pochettino also finished ahead of Guardiola in the same 2016-17 season with Tottenham Hotspur FC, marking a strong campaign. Jurgen Klopp ended Guardiola's dominance in the 2019-20 Premier League season, leading Liverpool FC to a title with 99 points, 18 points clear of City.

Most recently, Mikel Arteta secured Arsenal FC's first Premier League title in 22 years during the 2025-26 season, marking a significant comeback in English football.