Pep Guardiola has admitted that discarding Joe Hart remains his one enduring regret from nearly a decade in charge of Manchester City, making the confession as he prepared to take charge of his final match at the club.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the 55-year-old Catalan confirmed he will depart after City's last fixture of the season — a home encounter against Aston Villa on Sunday — before opening up about a decision that has quietly troubled him for years.

The choice that still haunts him

When Guardiola arrived at City in the summer of 2016, one of his first acts was to inform Hart — a club legend of a decade's standing — that he had no future in his plans. Guardiola sought a goalkeeper far more comfortable playing out from the back, and City moved swiftly to sign Claudio Bravo from Barcelona as Hart's replacement.

Hart departed on loan to Italian side Torino and never pulled on a City shirt again. His absence, however, is something Guardiola now wishes he had handled differently.