Bernardo Silva Hails Guardiola as "Father of Football" in Emotional Farewell

Bernardo Silva calls Pep Guardiola "Father of football", hails him as "GOAT" after Man City farewell

Manchester, May 25

A 1-2 defeat against Aston Villa in their final Premier League match of the season marked the farewell appearance of manager Pep Guardiola, along with players Bernardo Silva and John Stones, for Manchester City.

Bernardo Silva was at the core of the Manchester City team under Pep Guardiola that clinched 20 major trophies, including six Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League crown, three FA Cups, and five League Cups.

After the match, Silva hailed Guardiola as the "Greatest Manager of All Time" and said, "he's my father of football." He also thanked Guardiola for his trust, his support during difficult moments, and the way he transformed his understanding of football.

"He's the greatest of all-time in my opinion, to start with. He's my father of football. I am really grateful for everything he did for me, the way he trusted me, the way he supported me during the bad moments, the way he helped me see football in a different way and then obviously winning helps," Silva said, as quoted by Manchester City's website.

He further said that the shared success and memories over the years created a strong bond within the Manchester City setup, describing the club as a family and acknowledging the importance of the supporters.

"When you win this much and you share so many fantastic memories, it also helps to create these types of connections and he's a special person for me. They are a family. They mean so much to us, " he added.

As Pep Guardiola also bid farewell to Manchester City, he reflected on the occasion, stating that he now feels exhausted after dedicating everything to the role over the past decade. He added that although his memories with FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich remain special, his time at Manchester City has given him an unmatched collection of experiences and relationships.

"I am so tired. Seriously, I am so tired. I did everything. We did it. The memories I have of Barcelona and Bayern Munich are unbeatable but the luggage of memories I have from here from 10 years is more than any other," Guardiola said after the match, as quoted by Goal.com.

Guardiola leaves Manchester City after one of the most successful managerial spells in modern football history. During his tenure, he guided the club to 20 major trophies, including six Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League title, three FA Cups and five League Cups.

Since taking charge of the club in 2016, Guardiola has managed Manchester City in 593 matches, registering 423 wins, 77 draws and 93 defeats across competitions.

Coming to the Premier League match between Man City and Aston Villa, Unai Emery's side defeated City 2-1 as Ollie Watkins struck twice to secure fourth place for Villa.

— ANI