The 2024–25 season was the 130th season in the existence of Manchester City Football Club and their 23rd consecutive season in the top flight of English football. In addition to the domestic league, where they were competing as four-time defending champions, Manchester City also participated in the FA Cup, EFL Cup, FA Community Shield, the revamped UEFA Champions League; entering the latter for the 14th consecutive season; and the expanded FIFA Club World Cup as winners of the 2022–23 UEFA Champions League.
City began the season by defeating Manchester United 7–6 on penalties after a 1–1 draw in regular time on 10 August to win the FA Community Shield for the first time since 2019. This turned out to be their only honour of the season. On 30 October, they were eliminated in the fourth round of the EFL Cup by Tottenham Hotspur at their stadium in a 1–2 defeat, the team's first that season. This game marked the beginning of a recently unprecedented period of poor form for the team, which concluded at one win in thirteen matches, and included five consecutive losses for the first time in Pep Guardiola's managerial career and the worst run for City since the 2005–06 season.
On 19 February, Manchester City were eliminated from the Champions League by Real Madrid, losing 3–6 on aggregate after having been beaten home and away by the reigning champions in the new knockout phase play-offs. This is the first season since 2012–13 where City had failed to reach the last 16 of the competition. On 17 May, they were beaten 1–0 by Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final, City's second consecutive cup final defeat. Palace's victory was their first-ever major title and ensured the Blues failed to claim major domestic silverware for the first time since the 2016–17 season. A 2–0 victory away to Fulham on the final day of the Premier League season ensured City secured third place in the standings and qualified for the following season's Champions League, their 15th consecutive appearance in the competition.
After the end of the season proper, the club embarked on significant transfer activity, recruiting players such as Rayan Aït-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders, and Rayan Cherki, before travelling to the United States for the newly expanded Club World Cup. On June 30, the Blues were beaten 4–3 after extra time by Al-Hilal in the round of 16 after having swept their group stage opponents.
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Season summary Pre-season The club ended the previous season with the main issue being whether or not Pep Guardiola would decide to extend his contract as manager beyond the end of the 2024–25 season after nine years with the club. Kevin De Bruyne was the only key player who would start the season in the final year of his existing contract, but there was also further speculation on the futures of Kyle Walker and Bernardo Silva, as there had been in previous recent summers. Rumours also emerged that Ederson could be a target for Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr.
A total of 13 current City players were selected for squads for Euro 2024, the joint most alongside Inter Milan, and one player was selected for the 2024 Copa América. Six of those players reached the semi-finals of these competitions played in the week commencing 8 July; five of those would go on to reach the respective finals played on 14 July; and two: Rodri for Spain and Julián Alvarez for Argentina, would celebrate as champions. Rodri was also recognised as the Player of the Tournament for Euro 2024.
Players who had not participated in either competition returned to the club for pre-season training on 15 July to prepare for their forthcoming pre-season tour in the United States. Spanish defender Sergio Gómez had been the first senior player to be transferred, leaving the club after two seasons to join Real Sociedad on 12 July. The first transfer in was announced on 18 July when Brazilian winger Savinho joined from fellow CFG club Troyes, after a successful loan season at Girona, for a reported fee of £21 million.
City took a largely inexperienced squad on their pre-season tour to the US, selecting only 11 previous first team players who had not played at the Euros or Copa America. Their two Croatian Internationals, Joško Gvardiol and Mateo Kovačić, who had returned from Germany after the group stages, joined the tour at its mid-point. The remaining 14 players were allowed extended breaks and would join the squad after its return to the UK. However, this tour squad was able to perform well and only suffered narrow losses to Celtic and Milan, drew with Barcelona and beat Chelsea convincingly with a Haaland hat-trick. The performances of Haaland, Grealish and Oscar Bobb in particular stood out in these games with the latter demonstrating he was ready for more first-team appearances in the coming season.
Start of the season In their first competitive game of the season, City won the FA Community Shield by beating fierce rivals Manchester United 7–6 on penalties after a 1–1 draw in regular time, thus avenging the defeat to the same side in the 2024 FA Cup final. United opened the scoring in the 82nd minute with a strike from Alejandro Garnacho, and City equalised in the penultimate minute of normal time with a Bernardo Silva header from an excellent Oscar Bobb run and cross. Although Silva went on to see his first penalty saved, an Ederson save against Jadon Sancho and a miss from Jonny Evans saw City victorious in the penalty shoot-out. It was the first time since 2019 that City had won the competition after consecutive defeats in their previous three appearances.
On 12 August, it was announced that Julián Alvarez would be joining Atlético Madrid for a reported initial fee of £64.4 million with up to £17.1 million in add-ons after two highly successful seasons with City. At the time, this was the highest transfer fee the club had ever received for a player and represented a significant profit for a player acquired for £14 million only two years previously. Alvarez had won the continental treble in 2023, as well as a World Cup and a Copa America title while a City player.
On 23 August, former captain İlkay Gündoğan returned to the club on a free transfer, signing a one-year deal after having spent the previous season at Barcelona.
City began their league campaign with three strong performances and victories away to Chelsea and West Ham United, and at home to newly promoted Ipswich Town. The games against Ipswich and West Ham United included Haaland's 10th and 11th hat-tricks since he joined the club, as he became the Premier League player to score the most goals (7) in the first three games of the season. The Blues led the league over Liverpool on goals scored at the first international break, with both clubs maintaining a 100% record and a goal difference of +7.
On 22 September, City played their first league game of the season against their closest title challengers from the previous two seasons and drew 2–2 at home against Arsenal. The first goal was Haaland's 100th for the club in all competitions, achieved in just 105 appearances. This equalled a record set by Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid for the fastest to reach this milestone at a single club. Arsenal were able to come back to take a 2–1 lead by half time, but saw Leandro Trossard sent off for a second bookable offence shortly before the break. A resolute defensive effort with 10 men and excellent goalkeeping from David Raya was almost enough to secure the victory and three points for the Gunners, but a scrambled goal from John Stones in the eighth minute of injury time saved the point for City and ensured they remained unbeaten and at top of the league by a point from Liverpool and Aston Villa.
Rodri had limped out of the Arsenal match following a collision with Thomas Partey. On 27 September, it was confirmed that the player had ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and would miss the rest of the season in recovery. Guardiola said Rodri was "irreplaceable" during the previous season's title run-in. Rodri missed five games the previous season and City had lost four of them.
Autumn period Manchester City remained unbeaten in all competitions up to the October international break. In the Premier League, they were positioned just a point behind Liverpool, securing second place and edging out Arsenal on goal difference. Their form extended to the Champions League, where they held the eighth spot in the new Swiss-style league phase.
On 7 October, City's legal case against the Premier League over rules on commercial deals involving club owners concluded with a tribunal ruling. The tribunal upheld two aspects of the club's complaints but rejected others. The case, separate from the ongoing investigation into City's alleged financial breaches, found that shareholder loans should not be excluded from associated party transaction (APT) rules and that some recent rule amendments should not be retained. Both sides claimed partial victory, with City pleased about some rulings and the Premier League relieved that most rules were upheld. The ruling could impact other clubs' compliance with financial regulations.
On 14 October, Manchester City's director of football, Txiki Begiristain, announced he would be leaving the club the following June after 12 years, being replaced by Sporting Lisbon's Hugo Viana.
On 28 October, Rodri became the first current City player to win the prestigious Ballon d'Or award.
City faced an injury crisis and a series of four consecutive losses before the final international break of the year, marking their worst losing streak since 2006 under Stuart Pearce. It was also the first time Guardiola had suffered four consecutive defeats in his managerial career. During this period, they were eliminated from the EFL Cup by Tottenham and experienced their first outright Champions League loss in over two years, falling 1–4 to Sporting Lisbon in Portugal. Additionally, this streak ended their 10-month and 32-game unbeaten run in the league with away losses to Bournemouth and Brighton, leaving City in second place, trailing Liverpool by five points.
On 19 November, it was widely reported that Guardiola had extended his contract with the club for a further year to 2026, when he would be able to celebrate the completion of his tenth season at City. Later that week, the club confirmed the extension was for 2 years, until the end of the 2026–27 season.
On 23 November 2024, City lost 0–4 to Tottenham Hotspur that marked the end of their 52-game unbeaten streak at home. It was the Citizen's first home defeat since November 2022 when Brentford claimed a surprise victory at the same venue. Despite having most of the ball possession and creating 23 attempts at goal, City were made to rue wasteful chances while their opponent on the day converted their chances clinically.
Christmas and New Year The club's poor run of form continued into December and included further league defeats to Liverpool, Manchester United and Aston Villa; and a comprehensive Champions League defeat away at Juventus. At the nadir, City had just one win in thirteen games with nine defeats.
However, their form improved somewhat in the New Year with consecutive victories against West Ham and Leicester in the league and a comprehensive 8–0 victory against League Two club Salford City in the third round of the FA Cup.