Pep Guardiola bid an emotional farewell to Manchester City on Sunday, ending a transformative decade that redefined the club and English football. Despite a season finale 2-1 loss to Aston Villa, fans stayed to honor the manager with a guard of honor, banners, and chants.
"I never imagined the amount of love," Guardiola told the crowd. "It has been an incredible, tremendous honor to be your manager for 10 years." The 54-year-old, who also won the FA Cup and League Cup this season, said he no longer has the energy to continue.
Guardiola arrived in 2016 already regarded as a great innovator. His 593 games in charge yielded 20 trophies, including six Premier League titles-four consecutively-and a Champions League victory. He will have an Etihad stand renamed and a statue built outside the stadium.
The afternoon also marked the departures of captain Bernardo Silva and defender John Stones. Silva, in tears, called City "my family" after nine years, while Stone's voice cracked as he said, "This will always be my home."
Villa's Ollie Watkins scored twice to end City's season on a sour note, but the result felt secondary. Guardiola summed it up simply: "It has been fun."