Pep Guardiola Bids Emotional Farewell After A Decade At Manchester City

Pep Guardiola said it was a "tremendous honour" to manage Manchester City for a decade, speaking to supporters after a 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa in what was confirmed as the 593rd and final match of Guardiola’s time in charge at the Etihad Stadium.

The farewell scenes followed an earlier announcement that the redeveloped North Stand at the Etihad Stadium would be named the Pep Guardiola Stand, with Manchester City supporters giving extended applause as Guardiola, Bernardo Silva and John Stones, who were also playing their last games for the club, addressed the crowd.

Across those 10 years, Guardiola became Manchester City’s most successful manager, collecting 20 major trophies, including six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, five EFL Cups and one Champions League, plus three Community Shields, one UEFA Super Cup and one Club World Cup during a sustained period of domestic and European success.

The Spaniard also set several notable Premier League records with Manchester City, becoming the only manager to claim four successive English top-flight titles between the 2020-21 and 2023-24 seasons and the first to guide a team to a 100-point Premier League campaign, achieved in the 2017-18 season.

Although Manchester City finished behind Arsenal in the league in the final campaign of Guardiola’s tenure, the coach still added silverware by winning both English domestic cups for a second time, becoming the first manager to complete that double on two separate occasions after first doing so in the 2018-19 season.

The last match itself began with the prospect of an ideal send-off when Antoine Semenyo scored, putting Guardiola, Bernardo Silva and John Stones on course for a farewell victory, but Aston Villa responded after the interval through two goals from Ollie Watkins, turning the contest around at the Etihad Stadium.

Phil Foden appeared to rescue a draw with a close-range finish late on, yet video replays led to the effort being ruled out for a marginal offside, a decision that drew complaints from many inside the stadium, though it did not prevent emotional tributes to Guardiola and the departing players after the final whistle.

"I'm so nervous right now," Guardiola said. "Why do you love me so much? Why do you do that to me? I never imagined the amount of love. It hasbeen an incredible, tremendous honour to be your manager for 10 years. Incredible emotions. My dad is here today in the stands, 95-years oldwow! Maybe he doesn't realise, but I'm pretty sure in many years this stand that looks really beautiful, the name of my family will be there. That is the hugest honour. It is an immense honour my family will have for the rest of my life. The players don't know it, but I will be up there [in the Pep Guardiola Stand] controlling them!"

Guardiola described the responsibility that would pass to the remaining Manchester City squad, saying, "The players have a huge responsibility to continue these standardshopefully they fight and fight and fight. [The Etihad] is my home." The comments underlined Guardiola’s view that high-performance levels must continue without the manager on the touchline.

Guardiola also spoke about maintaining a link with Manchester City supporters beyond this farewell night, adding, "Over the next years, wherever in the world, if you see me in the streets or here at the Etihad Stadium, if you are a City fan, come to me. It has been a huge honour to represent this club."

Reflecting on his decision-making across the decade at Manchester City, Guardiola told the Etihad Stadium crowd, "Every decision I took I thought was the best for this club. I love you so much. It has been fun." The manager’s final message focused on gratitude towards the fan base and the sense of connection developed over 10 seasons.

Guardiola’s departure closed a chapter in which Manchester City dominated many domestic campaigns, built a consistent style of play and regularly competed for major honours, with the naming of the Pep Guardiola Stand and the farewell ceremony at the Etihad Stadium highlighting how strongly supporters recognised the achievements recorded during those 593 matches.