My 94-year-old father will visit Etihad Stadium on Sunday, says Pep Guardiola on renaming of North Stand | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has been left speechless after Manchester City announced the newly-developed North Stand at the Etihad Stadium will be permanently renamed ‘The Pep Guardiola Stand’ in his honour.

The tribute was confirmed by the club ahead of Sunday’s final-day Premier League fixture against Aston Villa – Guardiola’s last game in charge after 10 years at the Etihad Stadium – as Manchester City move to ensure the legacy of the most successful manager in their history is written permanently into the fabric of the ground.

It follows Friday’s confirmation of Guardiola’s departure, with Enzo Maresca lined up as his successor on an initial three-year deal, and comes alongside news that a statue will also be commissioned to commemorate the Catalan’s extraordinary decade in Manchester.

Guardiola: No words – just thank you so much!

Speaking in his final pre-match press conference at the City Football Academy, Guardiola struggled to find adequate language for the occasion.

“Oh God, speechless, no words! What can I say?! No words,” he said. “I like to feel that my vibe or my energy will be there forever, I like that feeling.

“In the bad moments, someone looks there and remembers Pep, I will send good energy to the team, the club. It’s the most incredible or huge honour I can get! Just I can say thank you so much to the club.”

The image of Guardiola sending good energy from a stand bearing his name during bad moments is a touching one: a man who has given everything to a club now finding comfort in the thought that something of him will remain long after he has gone.

It is the kind of sentiment that only someone who truly loves a place could articulate. Guardiola went on to reveal that his 94-year-old father Valenti will be in attendance for his son’s final game in charge of Manchester City.

“It’s an incredible honour to have his name in this beautiful place (on the Etihad Stadium’s North Stand) – I have no words,” he added in his press conference.

“I’m happy that on Sunday, maybe, he will be aware how much the people love his son – wow! That is really good for me,” he added on the subject in conversation with Sky Sports.

City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and chief executive Ferran Soriano have already spoken publicly of their deep gratitude for Guardiola’s contribution, with the club making clear through both the stand renaming and the statue commission that his legacy will be honoured in the most permanent way possible.

What does the tribute mean for City’s history?

The Pep Guardiola Stand will serve as a daily reminder of a decade that transformed Manchester City from a club with occasional title ambitions into the dominant force in English and European football.

Six Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League, multiple FA Cups and Carabao Cups – all achieved under a manager who arrived in 2016 and proceeded to redefine what was possible.

Sunday’s farewell against Aston Villa will also be the final game for Bernardo Silva and John Stones in sky blue, giving the occasion a weight that goes well beyond three points. The open bus parade on Monday will bring the season to a close – but The Pep Guardiola Stand will be there long after the last confetti has settled.