ABU DHABI: Manchester City have announced that the newly developed and expanded North Stand at the Etihad Stadium will be named The Pep Guardiola Stand.
The stand will be fully opened for the first time for the manager’s final game in charge at the club, the concluding game of the season against Aston Villa on Sunday.
City owner Sheikh Mansour has bestowed the honor in recognition of the contribution Guardiola has made during his 10 historic years as manager of the club.
As part of the renaming, a statue of Guardiola will also be commissioned, and feature on the approach to the stand.
Mansour said: “I said a long time ago that Manchester City should have the very best people at its disposal, both on and off the field. For 10 years Pep has been the personification of that ambition.
“He has made an indelible imprint on the DNA of the club, one that is borne more from how he won than from the many trophies he lifted.
“He has the unending gratitude of myself and the entire City family, a family of which he will always be part.”
Fittingly located at the end of Joe Mercer Way, The Pep Guardiola Stand will be a new focal point on matchdays.
The stand is one part of a new multi-element entertainment district that also includes the new matchday fan activation space named Medlock Square, a 401-room hotel, a new club museum, retail stores, office space and a variety of restaurants and bars.
Khaldoon Al-Mubarak, City’s chairman, said: “The Pep Guardiola Stand, and the statue that will sit outside it, rightly ensure that Pep’s legacy will remain forever woven into the fabric of this football club, the city of Manchester and English football.
“The unique relationship that he has with our fans has been earned through the honesty and passion of his 10 seasons fighting to bring them success. The Pep Guardiola Stand is a fitting and permanent reminder of that relationship, the most successful period in our club’s history, and the unique football genius at its heart.”
Under development since late 2023, the newly expanded stand adds over 7,000 new seats to Etihad Stadium, bringing the stadium capacity to over 61,000.
CEO Ferran Soriano said: “It is wholly appropriate that the occasion of Pep’s final game as Manchester City manager will also be the afternoon that the wonderful new Pep Guardiola Stand at the Etihad Stadium will hold 7,000 more City fans for the very first time.
“Sunday will be an opportunity for everyone to celebrate his achievements. Sheikh Mansour’s permanent marking of Pep’s incredible legacy will give City fans the opportunity to acknowledge Pep’s legend every single time they visit our stadium.”
