Aston Villa coach Unai Emery don gift Pep Guardiola a lion before di Premier League match wey dem play for Etihad Stadium. Di lion na small replica of di iconic statue wey dey Villa Park. Di gesture show di respect wey Emery get for Guardiola as e dey leave Manchester City after 10 years.
Villa bin comot from behind to win 2-1 against Manchester City for Guardiola last match as di club coach. Di result no change anything for di league table, but di day belong to Guardiola and im players. Before di match start, Emery take time to personally recognise di occasion by giving di lion to Guardiola. Di action get plenty admiration from fans of both clubs.
During im post-match press conference, Emery confirm di details of di gift and di feeling behind am. “E be for im career and everything wey e dey give to di football world,” Emery tok, as John Townley from Birmingham Live report. Di simple explanation show di genuine respect between two coaches wey don face each other many times for La Liga and Premier League.
Emery himself don get wonderful season, guiding Aston Villa to win di UEFA Europa League and secure top four finish. But e come to Etihad Stadium ready to put aside im own achievements to recognise Guardiola as one of di defining figures of modern football history.
Di tribute from Emery na di latest for series of messages from all over di football world since Guardiola exit bin confirm on Friday. Former players, rival coaches, and football institutions don queue up to acknowledge wetin di Catalan don bring to di game for im career at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City.
After di final whistle, Guardiola talk about im legacy from di Etihad pitch, joking say e go dey “control” di players from di Pep Guardiola Stand. E use three words to summarise im decade for Manchester: “E don be jodidamente fun!”
Di fact say a rival coach come to im farewell match carrying a lion show how di whole football world see di man wey dem give di send-off.
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