Guardiola: A Part of Me Departs Man City Alongside Silva

Pep Guardiola has expressed that a part of him is leaving Manchester City as the club prepares to bid farewell to captain Bernardo Silva.

This week, it was confirmed that Silva, who joined City from Monaco in 2017, will depart at the end of the season. The Portuguese international has secured 15 major trophies with the club, including six Premier League titles, the Champions League, two FA Cups, and five EFL Cups—the latest of which was clinched last month with a 2-0 victory over Arsenal in the final at Wembley.

Ahead of City’s crucial Premier League clash against Arsenal on Sunday, Guardiola, whose own future remains uncertain, told reporters, "When these types of players leave—and there have been many in recent years—a part of me goes with them. It will be difficult to imagine the club without him. He has made an incredible contribution over nine years and has been massively, massively important."

He added, "Hopefully, we can deliver for him, and he will help us. I know he will. He’s a special player. We aim to make these final days memorable because he deserves the best. Together, we’ve won 19 titles, and we’re still competing for two more. We’re determined to give it our all."

Silva recently made his 297th Premier League appearance in City’s 3-0 win over Chelsea, setting a record for the most appearances by a Portuguese player in the competition’s history. He will leave as the club’s second-highest appearance maker in the league, behind David Silva (309). During his time at City, the 31-year-old has scored 45 goals and provided 50 assists in the top flight.

Reflecting on the squad’s evolution, Guardiola noted, "Ederson, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Kyle Walker, Manuel Akanji, and many others who achieved so much here are no longer with us. Many new players, like Rayan Cherki, have never won the Premier League, so their response in such moments is untested. There are many unknowns, but we’ll face them as they come."