the 31-year-old portuguese midfielder, who has spent nine seasons at etihad, was visibly moved as he played his last competitive game for the sky blues. with time winding down in the first half against aston villa on the season’s final matchday, silva was substituted off to a thunderous standing ovation from the 53,000-strong crowd.

teammates and opponents alike formed a guard of honor as silva walked off the pitch, paying tribute to his contributions over nearly a decade. moments later, he shared an emotional embrace with manager pep guardiola, who also concluded his city tenure that same afternoon. silva leaves manchester city with 460 appearances, 76 goals, and 77 assists to his name.

just 18 minutes after silva’s departure, defender john stones received his own farewell ovation during his final moments on the pitch. the englishman, who joined city alongside guardiola in 2016, exited to a chorus of cheers from the fans.