Manchester City have bestowed more honours upon Pep Guardiola as he prepares to leave the club after 10 years in charge
Pep Guardiola greets Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour.(Image: Wam News)
View Image
Manchester City will rename a stand at the Etihad in honour of Pep Guardiola as well as commissioning a statue. The expanded North Stand, set to open on Sunday with 7,000 extra seats, will carry the Catalan's name from this point to mark his extraordinary decade at the club.
City owner Sheikh Mansour, whose second game in attendance during his time in charge was the Champions League final in Istanbul in 2023, told chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak that Guardiola should be given the highest tributes for everything he has achieved at the Etihad. He comes the second person to have a stand named after him, after one of the club's greatest ever players Colin Bell.
“I said a long time ago that Manchester City should have the very best people at its disposal, both on and off the field," Mansour said. "For 10 years Pep has been the personification of that ambition.
“He has made an indelible imprint on the DNA of the Club. One that is borne more from how he won than from the many trophies he lifted. He has the unending gratitude of myself and the entire City family, a family of which he will always be part.”
Guardiola will have a statue built to feature 'on the approach' to his stand. The City boss will become the first manager at the stadium to have a statue, joining legendary players Colin Bell, Mike Summerbee, Franny Lee, Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Vincent Kompany and Kevin De Bruyne.
“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," said chairman Al Mubarak.
“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. The Pep Guardiola Stand is a fitting and permanent reminder of that relationship, the most successful period in our club's history, and the unique football genius at its heart.”