Pictured: Pep Guardiola begins moving out of Manchester apartment ahead of Aston Villa farewell | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has begun moving out of his Manchester city centre apartment ahead of his final game in charge of the club on Sunday.

Guardiola will lead the Blues out for the last time at the Etihad Stadium against Aston Villa on the final day of the Premier League campaign.

City finally gave in to Arsenal in the title race in midweek after being held to a 1-1 draw by Bournemouth on the south coast, confirming the Gunners’ first league crown in 22 years.

A formal announcement on Guardiola’s upcoming departure from the Etihad Stadium was made on Friday afternoon, with City assistant coach Pepijn Lijnders also set to depart just 12 months on from arriving at the club.

Snapped: Pep begins moving out of Manchester apartment

Guardiola is understood to have started moving out of his Manchester city centre apartment ahead of Sunday’s emotional farewell day against Unai Emery and co.

Removal men were pictured escorting boxes out of his residence on Saturday as Guardiola plans to take a break from management following a demanding decade at the Etihad Stadium.

The Catalan could step down from club management altogether amid faint hopes that he want to fulfil a long-standing dream of international management at some point in the future.

In the meantime, Guardiola has taken up a role as Global Ambassador within the City Football Group to advise the various clubs under Manchester City’s ownership, who have agreed an initial three year deal with Enzo Maresca to replace Guardiola.

How have Man City honoured Guardiola ahead of exit?

City have renamed the newly developed and expanded North Stand at the Etihad Stadium as ‘The Pep Guardiola Stand’, to which their outgoing head coach said “he had no words” as his 94-year-old father Valenti prepares to attend his son’s final game in charge of the Blues on Sunday.

The Blues have also commissioned a statue for Guardiola outside the Etihad Stadium to pay homage to the greatest manager in Manchester City history.

Sunday’s game against Aston Villa will mark a sad day for the club but will equally give the Manchester City faithful a chance to bid a proper goodbye to Guardiola.

An open bus parade on Monday will also celebrate the achievements of the men’s and women’s sides from the recent season, with the former winning the Carabao Cup and FA Cup double – and the latter claiming the WSL title.