Manchester City to honour Guardiola’s legacy with statue and a renamed stand

According to the club's announcement, the 55-year-old manager is set to depart at the end of the season and will lead his final game this Sunday during the home match against Aston Villa.

The choice to leave arrives twelve months prior to his contract's conclusion, following a week of speculation that the organisation was already readying for his exit.

Sunday's final game of the season against Aston Villa is set to be an emotional farewell for Guardiola at the Etihad. 

The club also confirmed it will commission a statue of Guardiola to commemorate his historic tenure.

The decision honours the Catalan's transformative decade at the helm, a period in which he established City as a dominant force in English and European football, amassing an unprecedented collection of trophies. 

Guardiola's statue will be placed outside the newly named stand, joining those of club icons Vincent Kompany, David Silva, and Sergio Aguero on the Etihad campus.

Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak described the tribute as a fitting recognition of Guardiola's lasting contribution to the club, the city, and the sport in England.

"The Pep Guardiola Stand, and the statue that will sit outside it, rightly ensure that Pep’s legacy will remain forever woven into the fabric of this football club, the city of Manchester and English football," he remarked.

"The unique relationship that he has with our fans has been earned through the honesty and passion of his ten seasons fighting to bring them success."