Dressing-room rows, De Bruyne's tears and Guardiola's breakdown: inside City's fall from the top

Manchester City’s dramatic decline from four consecutive Premier League titles is laid bare in a new eight-part documentary series set for release on August 19, featuring raw footage from dressing rooms and board meetings that Amazon acquired from the club’s in-house production arm, City Studios.

The series covers Guardiola’s 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons and does not shy away from the tensions that fractured the squad. Among the most striking sequences is a dressing-room confrontation at Anfield between Guardiola and then-captain Kyle Walker. Walker, visibly furious, accuses the manager of singling him out “every f** time”. When Guardiola responds that captains must take responsibility, Walker fires back: “YOU DIDN’T WANT ME TO BE CAPTAIN. YOU DIDN’T WANT ME TO BE CAPTAIN.” Within 30 seconds, Guardiola is in tears, telling his captains that he will leave if they want him to.

The scene provides significant context for Walker’s departure from the club midway through the season, as well as Guardiola’s subsequent decision — for the first time in his City tenure — to personally appoint the next captain.

The series also documents the end of Kevin De Bruyne’s nine-year association with the club. After being informed his contract would not be renewed, De Bruyne’s reaction was serious enough for CEO Ferran Soriano to alert chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and urge that the Belgian’s exit be handled with the utmost respect. In a farewell interview with club media, De Bruyne is asked what his family will miss most. He begins to answer but breaks down, sobbing as he explains that his children do not want to leave and that he can no longer make football decisions purely for himself — a reminder that De Bruyne arrived at the Etihad before any of his children were born.

The footage, described as a warts-and-all account of how one of English football’s most dominant eras unravelled, was compelling enough for Amazon to step in and purchase the rights. Given the breadth of clubs and supporters affected by City’s run of success, the series is likely to attract an audience well beyond the club’s own fanbase when it lands on August 19.