May 25, 2026 | 08:22 am
Coach Pep Guardiola (right) hugs Manchester City player Kevin De Bruyne. Man City doc.
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coach Pep Guardiola's final match in charge of Manchester City ended in defeat. The Citizens lost 1-2 to Aston Villa in Week 38, the final match of the 2025/26 Premier League season, at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.Antoine Semenyo had given City an early lead. However, two equalizing goals from Ollie Watkins spoiled the emotional moment that capped off a decade of the Spanish manager's reign.This result saw Manchester City finish as runners-up behind Arsenal with 78 points. For Aston Villa, this victory secured fourth place in the standings and secured a Champions League spot next season, following their previous Europa League triumph, according to the Premier League's official website as cited by Antara.The MatchManchester City immediately came out aggressively to give their manager a sweet farewell. The hosts' dominance paid off in the 23rd minute through Antoine Semenyo's 17th goal of the season, capitalizing on a corner kick with a well-placed volley.City continued to dominate the first half with dominant possession. On the other hand, Aston Villa continued to threaten with quick counterattacks. City maintained their 1-0 lead until halftime.The situation changed drastically after the break. Aston Villa immediately equalized the score at 1-1 in the 47th minute after Ollie Watkins capitalized on a poor clearance by John Stones to beat goalkeeper James Trafford.Midway through the second half, an emotional moment occurred when captain Bernardo Silva was substituted by Guardiola and given a guard of honor by his teammates on the sidelines.City's fate came in the 61st minute. Ollie Watkins struck again after beating the offside trap. The goal was initially disallowed by the linesman, but VAR allowed it because Ruben Dias had kept Watkins onside. Villa then took a 2-1 lead.Manchester City continued to press for the remainder of the match. Phil Foden had a goal in injury time, but it was ruled out for offside. The final whistle finally blew, confirming City's defeat and ending Pep Guardiola's golden era at the Etihad on a bitter note.Read: Man City to Build Guardiola Statue, Rename Stand in His HonourClick here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
