Pep Guardiola wasn't asked about Kevin De Bruyne after the Manchester City match at Fulham but his final words were for him
Pep Guardiola embraces Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City as he is substituted on during the Premier League match between Fulham and City
Pep Guardiola embraces Kevin De Bruyne as his City career came to an end at Fulham
It was a stormy press conference for Pep Guardiola that took in a range of emotions after the Fulham game. There was pride at the resilience of his Manchester City players this season, anger at the suggestion he had a problem with Jack Grealish, and a lot of relief.
Relief has been etched on the manager's face a few times during the second half of this season. It was there at Leicester in December when they finally returned to winning ways and at Bournemouth in March when he recognised his team again after months of questioning.
After all the emotion of a draining season, Guardiola still remembered to make his last words of the campaign about a departing legend. "Thanks again to Kevin for his incredible contribution for the last month and a half to help us to be in the Champions League," were his final words of the press conference.
De Bruyne has much better things to do than listen out for what his manager has said to reporters, but it was a classy touch from a manager who has been put in the difficult situation of having to give one of the best players he has ever coached a farewell that he doesn't want.
Guardiola will miss the player and miss the human but over the past two months has had to push the club towards Champions League qualification while getting the best out of a De Bruyne wounded by injuries and pride.
It hasn't been easy, and has included tough decisions such as leaving him out of the starting lineup for the FA Cup semi-final or the last day of the season. De Bruyne has made a point of stopping to speak to reporters after games whether he has started or not to voice his anger at certain situations, and made plain after the FA Cup final that City had another thing coming if they expected him to go with them to the Club World Cup after deciding not to offer him a contract.
In the last week though, as the Blues have found their way back to the Champions League for next season, there has also been peace and happiness break out with their greatest ever player. The farewell at the Etihad was spot on, with basically the entire ground staying late on a Tuesday night to celebrate him after he had helped the team beat Bournemouth and a terrific presentation organised by the club.
As well as immortalising him with news of a statue to come outside the stadium, there was the mural knocked up to recognise his achievements and a mosaic and road at the training ground. City have permanently marked his presence in the place where he has called home for the last 10 years.
Fulham was less high-profile but still nice, in keeping with the lack of fuss that De Bruyne enjoys in life. He had to be pushed to extend his farewell with the 2,800 fans in the away end after a standing ovation from the home fans when he came on for the final few minutes.
De Bruyne wasn't a topic for Guardiola's post-match press conference because there were more pressing things to ask in the last time the manager will speak before the Club World Cup.
Before he left though, and without making a big deal of it, Guardiola made sure that the last word for the season belonged to De Bruyne and the gratitude for every day he has given the club.
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