Pep Guardiola admitted it has not been easy to focus purely on football ahead of his final match as Manchester City manager, speaking at a press conference before Sunday’s Premier League season finale against Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola, who announced his departure on Friday, will bring down the curtain on a decade in charge of City when the final whistle sounds against Villa on Sunday 24 May. He opted against seeing out the remaining year of his contract, choosing instead to part ways with the club this summer.
“I’m feeling good. Trying to focus a bit on the game. It’s not easy with many things happening around us, not just for me but for Bernardo [Silva], John [Stones] and some people from the staff as well,” Guardiola said. “But yeah, I’m trying to enjoy it with my family and the amount of people that I love.”
Sunday’s occasion carries added emotional weight as it also serves as the farewell game for Bernardo Silva and John Stones. Silva will depart when his contract expires this summer, ending a nine-year stay at the Etihad. Stones, who joined City from Everton for £47.5m in the summer of 2016, has also confirmed he will leave as a free agent at the end of the season — having been at the club for all ten years of Guardiola’s reign.
“Making the same journey with John, who has been here the full 10 years with me, and with Bernie too, makes it incredibly special,” Guardiola added. “It’s still a football game. We don’t want to make it a bad last game. Of course there are a lot of emotions around it, but at the same time we still want the right result.”
Guardiola’s family will be in attendance at the Etihad, where the North Stand is set to be renamed in his honour. He guided City to 20 major trophies during his tenure, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League. Upon his departure, he will take on a Global Ambassador role within the City Football Group.
City go into the game unable to win the Premier League title, with Arsenal already confirmed as champions.
— NutmegXtra | Football News. Transfers. More.
