Revealed: Unai Emery’s classy gift to Pep Guardiola on Manchester City farewell day | OneFootball

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has revealed he presented Pep Guardiola with a lion ahead of Sunday’s Premier League finale at the Etihad Stadium.

Villa completed a 2-1 comeback victory over Manchester City on Sunday in what was Guardiola’s final game in charge of the club after 10 years, with the result ultimately inconsequential on a day that belonged entirely to the outgoing manager and his players.

Before kick-off, Emery took a moment to acknowledge the occasion personally, presenting Guardiola with a lion, understood to be a small replica of the iconic statue at Villa Park, in a gesture that drew widespread admiration from supporters of both clubs.

Emery: It is for his career and everything he is giving to footballing world

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Emery confirmed the details of the gift and the sentiment behind it.

“It is for his career and everything he is giving to the footballing world,” Emery said, as quoted by Birmingham Live’s John Townley.

The simplicity of the explanation speaks to the genuine respect that exists between two managers who have faced each other on numerous occasions across La Liga and the Premier League.

Emery himself has had a remarkable season, guiding Aston Villa to the UEFA Europa League title and securing a top-four finish, yet he arrived at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday prepared to set aside his own achievements to recognise a man he considers one of the defining figures in the modern history of the game.

What does the gesture say about Guardiola’s standing in the game?

Emery’s tribute is the latest in a series of messages from across world football since Guardiola’s departure was confirmed on Friday, with former players, rival managers and football institutions all lining up to acknowledge the scale of what the Catalan has given to the game across his career at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

Guardiola himself addressed his legacy on the Etihad Stadium pitch after the final whistle, joking that he would be “controlling” players from The Pep Guardiola Stand and signing off with three words that captured everything about his decade in Manchester.

That a rival manager arrived at his farewell game carrying a lion says everything about how the wider footballing world views the man being sent off.