Pep Guardiola fights back tears and says goodbye as Man City fans implore him to stay 10 more years

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Pep Guardiola fought back tears on the sideline as he brought 10 years at Manchester City to an end on Sunday.

His final game ended in a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa on a day charged with emotion as he said goodbye to the fans he gave so much joy during a decade of dominance in English soccer.

“I never could have imagined the amount of love I've found,” said Guardiola, standing in the center of the field at the Etihad Stadium and addressing the crowd. “It is an incredible, tremendous honor to be your manager, to be here 10 years.”

The tears started long before the final whistle, with Guardiola welling up and rubbing his eyes as two of his most loyal servants, Bernardo Silva and John Stones, also said farewell and were given guards of honor when substituted in the second half.

Then it was his turn to receive a guard of honor of his own.

“This is the man who changed everything,” the stadium announcer said as Guardiola ran onto the field wearing khakis and a cream T-shirt, with fans cheering wildly.

“10 more years," they chanted, prompting Guardiola to shake his head in defiance.

After 17 major trophies and records galore, on Friday he confirmed he could do no more. After turning City into the most dominant Premier League team of its generation and a champion of Europe for the first time, he said the time was right to hand over the reins.

“I will not miss it for a while,” he said Sunday. “I feel deeply... it is the right decision.”

Former Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca, who won the Club World Cup last year, is favorite to take over with an announcement possibly this week.

Guardiola did not confirm his replacement, but said he would call his successor to offer advice.

“Be yourself... be free with your ideas and work a lot. Everything will be fine,” he said.

That is for another day. This day was about Guardiola and the chance for supporters to show their appreciation.

“He means everything to me and this club. It’s absolutely brilliant what he’s done for it,” City fan Fred Taylor, 82, told The Associated Press. “I can’t think of another manager that’s done what he’s done in the 10-year period he’s been here.”

Guardiola joined City in the summer of 2016 and has led the Abu Dhabi-owned team to six Premier League titles and a first Champions League crown in 2023.

“That's what we always wanted that ... we’d never done it,” said Taylor. “That was probably the highlight of his tenure.”

Guardiola's trophy haul included a domestic double this season of the English League Cup and the FA Cup. He led City to the treble in 2023, winning the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup — matching Manchester United’s feat from more than 20 years earlier in 1999.

There were other benchmarks. City became the first team to win four straight English leagues and the first to amass 100 points in a single season in 2018. The following year City was the first team to win the domestic treble of the league, FA Cup and League Cup in the same season.

Those are big shoes to fill, but Guardiola said expectations of his successor should be realistic.

“Fans don’t forget that winning the treble, doubles is exceptional,” he said. “It is so difficult, this business is so complicated. That’s why when you come here, you win one game, here in the Etihad - enjoy it. Celebrate it.”

More than just trophies, Guardiola has connected with City fans, telling them Sunday to hug him if they ever see him in the future, saying “I will need it.”

“It’s hard to describe, it’s someone you don’t actually know, but you feel like you do know,” City fan Richard Wilbourn said. "When I heard the news (he was leaving) I got a bit emotional. What he’s done for the club has been absolutely unreal, and it’s something that we’ve never seen in our lifetime.

“Growing up through my mid-20s to mid-30s (he's been) a massive part of my life.”

City has honored Guardiola by naming its newly developed north stand after him. He will also take up a role as global ambassador.

“I’m sad he’s leaving, but I think he’s leaving at the right time,” said Taylor. “He’s done everything and he can’t go any further in this club, but I think he’s done brilliant and I wish him all the best.”

James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Manchester City fans holds a sign thanking the coach Pep Guardiola during his last macth as a manager during a Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Aston Villa in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola waves ahead of his last match as a manager before a Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Aston Villa in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Manchester City fans holds a sign thanking the coach Pep Guardiola during his last macth as a manager during a Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Aston Villa in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola applauds the fans after the last fgame with the club after a Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Aston Villa in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola hugs Manchester City's Bernardo Silva as he played last match for the team during a Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Aston Villa in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

With billionaire owner Stan Kroenke watching on, Arsenal’s players finally got their hands on the Premier League trophy as they lifted the biggest prize in English soccer to the backdrop of tickertape and fireworks on Sunday.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard looked up to the sky and back down at the trophy, shaking his head in disbelief, before walking in front of his celebrating teammates and lifting it aloft inside Selhurst Park after a campaign-ending 2-1 win at Crystal Palace.

Arsenal clinched a first English league title since 2004 with a game to spare in midweek, after three straight runner-up finishes.

Kroenke made his way to London for the trophy lift and watched the game against Palace next to his son, Josh. About an hour after the game finished, they walked out onto the field with the trophy ahead of the ceremony.

It marked the latest success in Kroenke’s sporting empire. The Denver Nuggets won the NBA Championship in 2023, a year after the LA Rams won the Super Bowl and Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in NHL. All three of those teams are in the Kroenke Sports & Entertainment portfolio that also now includes the best soccer team in England.

Josh Kroenke, Arsenal's co-chairman, said his family is invested “emotionally, financially, everything.”

“This club means the world to us,” he told Sky Sports. "I think it took a few people a few years to understand what that meant but now we’ve some great people, great players and great coaches.

“We’ve just got to continue providing them the resources to go out and do magical things like they did this season.”

He described the Premier League as a “slower burn than our championships in the United States.”

“Here, the cumulative points — it's a grind and you start to feel it in December,” he said. “Credit to our players, the staff, and Mikel for keeping their heads on. They deserve it.”

For Sunday's big occasion, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and his players wore the team’s classic red-and-white jersey with “Champions 2026” on the back. Arteta was thrown up in the air by the squad in joyous scenes.

The season could get even better for Arsenal, which also has reached the Champions League final for the first time since 2006. Paris Saint-Germain will be the opponent in Budapest, Hungary, next Saturday.

“We’ve achieved one of our goals but we have several others as well," Josh Kroenke said. "There is still one to be played for next weekend. Today is about enjoying today — tomorrow, we will get back to work because there is still one more to play.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta holds the trophy during celebrating their Premier League title after the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal in London, England, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta is thrown in the air by the players celebrating their Premier League title after the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal in London, England, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Arsenal players celebrate their Premier League title with the trophy after the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal in London, England, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Arsenal supporters celebrate after the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal in London, England, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Arsenal supporters celebrate after the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal in London, England, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Arsenal players celebrate after the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal in London, England, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Arsenal supporters celebrate after the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal in London, England, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke, right, and his son Josh pictured in the stands ahead of the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal in London, England, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)