Pep Guardiola says goodbye to Man City as parade celebrations tinged with heartbreak

[p]A ⁠day after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/guardiola-pep/hxNijWrJ/"]Guardiola[/a]'s final game in charge after a trophy-laden decade, thousands lined the streets in searing 31 degrees Celsius heat and clouds of sky-blue confetti, climbing street lights and crowding every vantage point for a glimpse ‌of the Spaniard who had defined an era.[/p][p]The League Cup and FA Cup trophies captured this season gleamed atop the open-top buses, but it was ‌the 55-year-old Guardiola -- waving and smiling -- who drew the loudest roars.[/p][p]"I've been going to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]City[/a] for about 10 ‌years, since I was six, since Pep joined," said 16-year-old Hadley Partridge, dressed in a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rodri/K0G8DB00/"]Rodri[/a] shirt.[/p][p]"I love Pep, and obviously ‌don't want to see him go."[/p][image alt="Guardiola on the open-top bus" id="3f112d83-5e6c-4617-9572-fde7e73ac0db" credit-line="AA/ABACA / Abaca Press / Profimedia" guid="3feff84a-7f4d-4f67-8934-ffb4cf18bbfc" original-width="1400" original-height="933" /][p]Asked how his departure felt, the teenager did not hesitate.[/p][p]"Devastated. I wanted him ‌to stay for 10 more years to be fair, get every trophy," Partridge said.[/p][p]For Lisa and Steve Evans, whose family have been season ticket holders for more than 20 years, Guardiola's departure was more than the end of a glittering era, it resonated across generations.[/p][p]"Devastated," the couple said ‌in unison.[/p][p]"Our two sons (Jack, 31, and Joe, 26) were crying at (Sunday's) game ⁠because Pep is leaving," Steve said.[/p][p]"Many tears, a knot in ‌your throat," Lisa said.[/p][p]If Guardiola's exit brought sadness, it also underscored the depth of his legacy.[/p][p]"He changed football in England," Steve said. "And ​his work ethic, he never stops."[/p][p]"It's his passion, isn't it?" Lisa added. "I think he genuinely just loves football, I don't think it's about the money."[/p][embed guid="a25cd082-43b8-4ef9-8daa-33c45260041e" url="https://x.com/ManCity/status/2058995550922703089" social-type="twitter" /][p]Atop the sky-blue buses, the players who had carried that philosophy ​forward soaked in the moment, aware they were part of an ending as much as a celebration.[/p][p]Some reflected on departing stalwarts captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/silva-bernardo/lUg03qcR/"]Bernardo Silva[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stones-john/SlLxn4xl/"]John Stones[/a].[/p][p]"[b]Two legends in the club[/b]," said [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/haaland-erling/UmV9iQmE/"]Erling Haaland[/a], who won the league's Golden ⁠Boot for the third time in four seasons. "[b]They've ​been amazing on and off the pitch for us. I'm proud to have been playing with them[/b]."[/p][p]Others spoke directly about Guardiola's influence.[/p][p]"[b]I'm going to miss him a lot[/b]," said [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doku-jeremy/lMHcYK4f/"]Jeremy Doku[/a]. "[b]His way of coaching, his way of giving advice, he's a legend, probably one of the best managers ever. He deserves his rest[/b]."[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/bcOx8Zz6/"]City's women[/a], crowned Women's Super League champions earlier this month, ‌their first title in a decade, celebrated atop their own buses as part of the parade.[/p][p]"We worked so hard throughout the season, to finally get our hands on the trophy, it's just an amazing feeling," said [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shaw-khadija/QRxzRVrP/"]Khadija (Bunny) Shaw[/a], who won the WSL's Golden Boot for a third successive year.[/p][embed guid="0a1facb4-6396-4eef-920e-147bd9173e04" url="https://x.com/ManCityWomen/status/2058985041586217173" social-type="twitter" /][p]Players sprayed champagne as the open-top buses eventually fed straight onto the arena floor where a sold-out crowd of 17,000 waited to celebrate at the After Party at the Co-Op Live arena.[/p][p]And then a collection of former and current players, from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kompany-vincent/K6A2elS9/"]Vincent Kompany[/a] to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandinho/pzh8nmmH/"]Fernandinho[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/grealish-jack/QVKaRfO9/"]Jack Grealish[/a], plus Guardiola's three children, Maria, Marius and Valentina, and Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher, paraded Guardiola's 20 trophies one by one across the stage.[/p][p]The night also featured numerous video tributes, including one from NBA legend Michael Jordan.[/p][p]"[b]I want to congratulate you on an unbelievable ‌career, enjoy your retirement[/b]," Jordan said.[/p][p]There is, inevitably, a future beyond Guardiola, one fans are already trying to picture.[/p][p]Partridge spoke ​hopefully of the transition, pointing to Guardiola's former assistant Enzo Maresca, who is reportedly Guardiola's chosen replacement.[/p][p]"I feel ‌like he's a good one, because he was Pep's second man so he knows Pep's tactics," he said. "If we don't mess anything up, we'll be good."[/p][embed guid="ee642fe1-6bff-4ba1-bc3b-7af2ba1db34b" url="https://x.com/ManCity/status/2058968810242117999" social-type="twitter" /][p]But for a few hours on Monday, City fans lingered in the moment, a celebration tinged with grief, and gratitude etched into every cheer.[/p][p]Guardiola departs having delivered trophies and style in equal measure, but also something less tangible: a connection that left adults in tears and teenagers wishing ⁠for another decade.[/p][p]"[b]I feel the connection that this club (has) from ⁠the first minute[/b]," Guardiola told the crowd. "[b]Thank you ‌so much, I don't have enough gratitude. I will have (that with me) for the rest of my life[/b]."[/p]