Pep Guardiola breaks down as Bernardo Silva says goodbye to the Etihad

Pep Guardiola fought back tears as Manchester City players formed a guard of honor for Bernardo Silva during an emotional farewell at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. The City manager watched with pride and emotion as Silva walked off the pitch in sky blue for the last time during their 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa in the Premier League final.

At the end of the night, the result didn’t matter as the Etihad was transformed into a tribute to Guardiola and the players who ended their careers at City. The fans stayed in the stadium long after full-time, chanting “We’ve got Guardiola!” as players and staff lined up wearing T-shirts with the manager’s name on them.

Silva, whose contract expires at the end of the season, was already emotional before kick-off. The Portuguese midfielder stepped out with daughter Carlota and appeared to be close to tears as he led the team onto the pitch for the final time.

The biggest moment came just before the hour mark when Silva was replaced by Mateo Kovacic. Both City and Villa players formed a guard of honor as the midfielder waved to fans around the Etihad. Guardiola hugged Silva tightly before turning away in tears.

Bernardo leaves. Guard of honor. The roar of the crowd. Pep cried his eyes out. I seriously can’t take this, man. pic.twitter.com/3LCp9cZHRB— Geronimo Morgans (@GeronimoMorgans) May 24, 2026

John Stones, also playing his last game for the club, received the same honor later in the second half. Guardiola hugged the defender as he left before wiping his face with his shirt.

The emotional farewell overshadowed the result on the pitch. Aston Villa came from behind to win in the second half from Ollie Watkins after Antoine Semenyo had put City ahead in the 22nd minute. Phil Foden thought he had saved a late equalizer but VAR ruled the goal out for offside.

Villa fans added to the atmosphere by chanting “They’ll fire you in the morning!” aimed at Guardiola, prompting laughter from sections of the home crowd.

Guardiola’s departure brings down the curtain on one of the most successful managerial spells in English football. He won 20 trophies during his 10 years at Manchester City, including six Premier League titles and the club’s first Champions League crown.

City also became the first team in the history of England’s top flight to win four consecutive Premier League titles under Guardiola.

After the final whistle, Guardiola applauded the fans before taking in the scenes around him for a moment alone on the pitch. He later hugged several Aston Villa players, including Watkins, before sharing another emotional exchange with Silva.

Defeat could not dampen the mood inside the Etihad, where the focus was on Guardiola, Silva and the end of a remarkable era for Manchester City.

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Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

25 May 2026 0:13 IST

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