Pep Guardiola is more concerned with bottling the memories of an unbelievable career as Manchester City manager than any lasting tributes at the Etihad Stadium.
Daily Mail Sport exclusively revealed on Monday that Guardiola will stand down as Manchester City manager after Sunday’s final Premier League game of the season against Aston Villa.
City are on course to open their expanded North Stand when hosting Villa, with some supporters hopeful that it bears Guardiola’s name.
The Catalan, who needs victory at Bournemouth on Tuesday to put pressure on Arsenal going into the Premier League’s final day, believes that individual moments will live with him longer than anything named in his honour.
‘The club don’t have to do anything, honestly,’ Guardiola, who has yet to officially confirm his departure, said. ‘The important thing in our lives is that when you look back, you can look with a big smile and say “that was good”.
‘Bernardo (Silva) and John (Stones) can feel that. We spoke about it over the last few days. When you’re old, a grandfather, you can look at the memories. That is the most important thing in life.’
Departing Man City boss Pep Guardiola has told the club and fans he does not expect any lasting tributes on final game of the season – and is more concerned about making memories
Tired of addressing his contractual situation, Guardiola added with a dose of sarcasm: ‘Whatever happens at the end of the season – and when I extend my contract for three more years – I can look back and say, “how nice has that been?”
‘That is the most important thing by far. Most of the people who lived this time here together can feel it.’
Guardiola has compared heading down to the Vitality Stadium for Andoni Iraola’s final match in charge to going for a dentist appointment. Bournemouth can still qualify for the Champions League and the City boss is wary of a team that has not lost a game since the beginning of January.
‘They don’t let you breathe,’ he added. ‘With 10 days to prepare for the game, I expect a more intense, aggressive and demanding team. And then you have to be smart to read what you have to do.
‘It’s a final. We are tired, yes. But the human being has an incredible ability to, when you are completely, completely dead, if (your mind) is in the right spot, you do an extra run, an extra focus. I’m pretty sure in the last two games, the players will give everything.’
Guardiola has told those players to seize the moment and leave nothing out there in their quest to haul in Arsenal during the final week. City have won three league titles (2019, 2022 and 2024) on the last day under the 55-year-old.
‘I prefer it to be in our control,’ he said. ‘But you never know. The important thing is to be there. I remember Johan Cruyff before (similar) games (at Barcelona) said “win our games, it’s not in our hands.”
‘We cannot lose the Premier League because they don’t win and we don’t win. That just cannot happen. We have to. Let’s win the game to arrive at the last chance and after that, guys, win our game. After that, it’s not in our control. Wait.’
