Pep Guardiola experienced a joyful mood as he met the media for his final pre-match press conference at Manchester City, as reported by The Guardian.
He cracked a joke about fielding questions on facing Aston Villa upon entering the room.
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After more than 1,100 press conferences in 10 years at Manchester City, he knew this specific session would not be normal.
The media appearance required him to run through the past decade in half an hour.
Guardiola had been building up to this moment for a while, acknowledging that the energy levels were depleted and a break from journalists was needed.
He recently revealed that John Stones experienced great relief after announcing his own departure.
The manager embraced those same feelings, admitting his leaving speech to the players earlier in the day was a disaster.
Finding the right words in these situations proved difficult for the long-serving boss.
“I like to think my vibe and energy will be there for ever,” he said.
Confirmation of his exit arrived at 11.12am, followed by an announcement less than an hour and a half later that the newly expanded North Stand would be named in his honor.
City’s chair, Khaldoon al-Mubarak, delivered that news on a whirlwind morning.
Guardiola learned about his soon-to-be erected statue only when a journalist informed him.
He joked about his fear of being covered in bird poo, though the final pose for the monument remains unconfirmed.
