Manchester City supporters barely had time to recover from Pep Guardiola’s emotional goodbye at the Etihad before the club delivered another spectacle in his honour less than a day later.

After the final home match against Aston Villa, attention shifted to the nearby Co-op Live arena, where thousands gathered to celebrate the manager’s extraordinary decade in charge. The venue, packed to capacity with more than 23,000 fans, became the setting for a jubilant tribute following the club’s open-top bus parade through Manchester under clear skies.

Banners dedicated to Guardiola filled the crowd, many thanking the Catalan for transforming the club and reshaping modern football. Chants celebrating his reign echoed around the arena long before the main ceremony began.

Players and Fans Create Festival Atmosphere

The arrival of the men’s and women’s squads immediately lifted the atmosphere. Team buses rolled in beside the stage while players joined supporters in singing familiar terrace songs dedicated to stars such as Bernardo Silva and John Stones.

Fresh from another successful season, Rodri entertained the audience by spraying and drinking celebratory fizz as Guardiola watched on smiling. The City manager appeared visibly touched by the scale of the occasion.

One of the evening’s unexpected moments came courtesy of Khadija Shaw. The striker revealed live on stage that she would remain with the women’s side despite speculation surrounding her future. Shaw, who finished as the WSL’s leading scorer after producing 21 goals in 22 appearances during City’s title-winning campaign, explained she still had ambitions to achieve more with the club. Moments later, confirmation of her new four-year agreement was distributed to reporters.

Trophy Parade Revisits Guardiola Era

The ceremony then shifted focus toward the silverware accumulated during Guardiola’s time in Manchester.

Former sporting director Txiki Begiristain introduced the first trophy of the Guardiola era, the 2017-18 Carabao Cup, describing it as the beginning of the club’s dominance.

Soon after, Vincent Kompany emerged carrying the Premier League trophy won that same season. The appearance of the former captain generated one of the loudest ovations of the night.

The remaining honours followed in sequence, with individuals linked to each triumph bringing them onto the stage amid pyrotechnics, streamers and celebratory music. In total, supporters were reminded of Guardiola’s remarkable collection of 20 trophies, including three Community Shields.

Another popular appearance came from Jack Grealish, who drew cheers while presenting the UEFA Super Cup secured in 2023. Musician Noel Gallagher also joined the festivities carrying the FIFA Club World Cup trophy won later that same year.

Throughout the celebration, players and guests wore clothing from the special “P for Pep” collection created to commemorate Guardiola’s decade with the club.

Guardiola Faces Questions From His Players

When Guardiola eventually stepped onto the stage, he kept things understated, appearing in a simple T-shirt and shorts rather than formal attire.

Presenter Natalie Pike joked about the manager finally escaping media questioning before handing interview duties over to the players themselves.

One memorable exchange involved Bernardo Silva revisiting a widely shared pandemic-era clip that showed Guardiola passionately explaining tactical movements to an empty space beside him on the substitutes’ bench. The audience responded with laughter as the moment replayed on the screens.

Another light-hearted section referenced a question Guardiola had previously been asked regarding the English football phrase “squeaky bum time” during the tense closing stages of the 2023-24 title race. The Spaniard admitted once again that he still had no understanding of the expression, prompting another wave of applause and laughter inside the arena.

Messages From Sporting Icons

Several well-known figures also delivered tribute messages during the event.

Golfer Tommy Fleetwood, former football manager Neil Warnock and basketball legend Michael Jordan all sent words of admiration for Guardiola’s achievements.

The City manager responded modestly, joking that he was unsure whether Jordan even knew who he was, though he appreciated the gesture.

Meanwhile, Erling Haaland used the occasion to reaffirm the squad’s determination to continue competing for major honours. Having once again finished as the Premier League’s top scorer with 27 goals, the striker spoke about the team’s hunger to repeat the success of the treble-winning 2022-23 campaign.

Guardiola Signs Off in Simple Fashion

There was a fitting final touch to the evening.

Back in 2016, Noel Gallagher had conducted Guardiola’s first interview after his arrival at Manchester City. The club invited him back to handle the final conversation before the manager’s departure.

After an evening filled with songs, memories and trophies, Guardiola closed the celebration with a brief farewell that reflected his understated personality.

“Thank you so much,” he said.