An era of dominance in English football came to an emotional end as Pep Guardiola bid farewell to Manchester City after 10 trophy-laden seasons.
However, Guardiola’s final Premier League match in charge ended in disappointment, with City suffering a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday.
The 55-year-old manager announced on Friday that he would leave City after winning 20 trophies during his decade-long tenure. Under Guardiola, the club established a dominant force in English football, winning six Premier League titles and securing the club’s first-ever UEFA Champions League crown.
This season, however, City’s dominance came to an end as Arsenal captured the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years by defeating Crystal Palace 2-1 on the final day of the campaign.
At the Etihad Stadium, Guardiola received an emotional reception from supporters before kickoff. Fans waved Catalan flags, while one section of the stadium unveiled the newly named “Pep Guardiola Stand” in tribute to the departing manager.
The atmosphere reflected Guardiola’s immense impact on the club. Besides six league titles and a Champions League triumph, City won a total of 17 major trophies during his time in Manchester.
As always, Guardiola remained animated on the touchline throughout the match despite its limited significance in the standings. City took the lead in the 22nd minute through Semenyo, who scored from a corner kick.
But Villa turned the game around in the second half as Ollie Watkins struck twice in quick succession, scoring in the 46th and 61st minutes to seal victory for the visitors.
Guardiola made nine changes from the side that faced Bournemouth in the previous match, while star striker Erling Haaland was not included in the starting lineup and remained on the bench throughout the contest.
