'The speech was a disaster!' - Pep Guardiola was 'so nervous' as Man City boss opens up on how he told players about his exit

The decorated manager officially broke his silence on Friday morning by delivering a poignant farewell message to supporters before facing the media ahead of the final day of the Premier League season. City directors subsequently announced extensive plans to honour his transformative ten-year tenure, confirming the North Stand will be renamed in his honour alongside a commissioned statue. Rather than cutting ties completely, Guardiola has agreed a long-term executive compromise to remain with the City Football Group as a global ambassador.

Addressing reporters during his final pre-match press conference, the 55-year-old expressed a profound mixture of pride and gratitude before detailing how he plans to mark the occasion of his final game on Sunday. Guardiola said: "Really satisfied [about his 10 years in England]. I don't know the right words. Satisfied, happy and proud. It has been maybe the experience of my life, otherwise I would not have been 10 years. I cannot be more grateful for the amount of love and affection that I had for many years.

"It's not about when. It's not today or tomorrow, it's a time that you feel ok let's do it. It's not yesterday or one week ago, it's a little bit but of course we are in competition and I want to be completely away because I need the players to be with me and me with them. The moment we cannot fight for anything else because it is already achieved, that is the moment to say. I want to say a proper goodbye to my people on Sunday, I want to hug them all on the pitch, and that's why we announced it."

Explaining the internal dressing room reaction to the news of his exit, Guardiola added: "The speech was a disaster, I was so nervous - more than ever.

"I tell them like I'm telling all of you, the questions that require I have this passion and energy that I had since I was little boy now I feel I will not have in the future. I have to be honest with myself but especially for the club that gave me everything and the people that rely on me incredibly."

City host Aston Villa on Sunday in a highly charged fixture where fans can formally salute their most successful manager. Having already guaranteed a second-place finish in the Premier League behind champions Arsenal, the squad will focus entirely on giving their boss an elite send-off. A massive, celebratory parade involving the men’s, women’s, and youth teams will follow on Monday, marking the end of a golden administrative era.