Manchester City have announced plans to honour Pep Guardiola as he prepares to bring an end to his decade-long spell in charge, with the club confirming both a new statue and a renamed stadium section. Guardiola has said he will step down as City manager after 10 trophy-rich seasons, and the tribute is set to be in place ahead of his final match in the dugout against Aston Villa on Friday.
The club has detailed how his legacy will be preserved at the Etihad, stating that a statue of Guardiola has been commissioned. The figure will be placed on the approach to the newly renamed The Pep Guardiola Stand, ensuring his presence is front and centre for supporters arriving at the ground.
City also revealed that the North Stand, which has been recently expanded, will carry his name in recognition of his impact on the club. The move means the revamped section of the stadium will serve as a lasting reminder of the manager who transformed City’s identity over his tenure.
Sheikh Mansour, speaking in support of the decision, said City should always have the “very best people” available, both on the pitch and behind the scenes. He described Guardiola as the embodiment of that ambition, adding that for ten years Guardiola has shaped the club in a way that extends beyond silverware.
Mansour added that Guardiola has left a permanent mark on the club’s character, stressing that his influence is reflected as much in the way he won as it is in the trophies he collected. He also said Guardiola will always be part of the wider City family, and that the club’s leadership and fans hold him in the highest regard.
Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak echoed the sentiment, saying that naming the stand after Guardiola—along with the statue positioned outside it—ensures the manager’s story remains permanently woven into the fabric of Manchester City, the city of Manchester, and English football more broadly.
