MANCHESTER, England – Manchester City have announced plans to permanently honour legendary manager Pep Guardiola by naming a section of the Etihad Stadium after him and building a statue in his image following his departure from the club.
Okay News reports that the Premier League champions confirmed on Friday that the expanded North Stand at the Etihad will officially become “The Pep Guardiola Stand”. The tribute will be unveiled during Guardiola’s final home game in charge against Aston Villa this weekend.
The club said the decision was made to recognise Guardiola’s extraordinary impact during his 10-year spell in Manchester, where he transformed City into one of the most dominant football teams in the world. Under the Spanish coach, City won multiple Premier League titles, domestic cups, and European trophies while setting several records in English football.
City also confirmed that a statue of Guardiola will be placed outside the stadium alongside club legends including Vincent Kompany, David Silva, and Sergio Aguero. The expanded North Stand, which has added more than 7,000 seats to the stadium, now pushes the Etihad’s total capacity above 61,000.
Reacting to the honour, Guardiola admitted he was deeply emotional about the gesture. “I have no words,” he said. “I like the feeling that my energy will be there forever.”
Club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak described Guardiola as the driving force behind the most successful era in Manchester City’s history, while owner Sheikh Mansour praised the manager for leaving a lasting mark on both the club and English football.
Guardiola’s farewell match on Sunday is expected to attract an emotional atmosphere at the Etihad as fans prepare to say goodbye to the coach widely regarded as one of
