Pep Guardiola issues touching Sven-Goran Eriksson tribute after terminal cancer diagnosis

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made a moving tribute to Sven-Goran Eriksson, after the 75-year-old revealed that he has around a year to live.

Guardiola issued a heartwarming message of support to the former Manchester City manager on Friday afternoon, speaking during his press conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to St James’ Park to face Newcastle United.

Sven-Goran Eriksson announced on Thursday that he had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, after being forced to leave his most recent role as Sporting Director at Karlstad, due to health issues.

The 75-year-old succeeded Stuart Pearce at Manchester City in July 2007, becoming the club’s first overseas manager, and guiding the Sky Blues to a top-half finish during the 2007/08 campaign.

The Swede managed England to the quarter-finals at three major tournaments, and also took charge of Leicester City, Benfica, Roma, Fiorentina and Sampdoria, during a glittering managerial career.

Eriksson revealed that he has around a year to live following a devastating terminal cancer diagnosis, vowing to fight the disease for “as long as possible.”

Speaking following the announcement of the news, current Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, said: “[He] is a gentleman, I admire his courage, hopefully he can extend his battle, lots of love to him from everyone at Manchester City.

A club statement on Thursday, read: “Everyone at Manchester City is thinking of Sven-Göran Eriksson, and we wish to express our collective support to our former Manager, and his family and friends, during this time.”

Eriksson disclosed his diagnosis during an interview with Swedish radio station P1, saying: “Everyone can see that I have a disease that’s not good, and everyone supposes that it’s cancer, and it is. But I have to fight it as long as possible.

“I know that in the best case it’s about a year, in the worst case even less. Or in the best case I suppose even longer. I don’t think the doctors I have can be totally sure, they can’t put a day on it.

“It’s better not to think about it. You have to trick your brain. I could go around thinking about that all the time and sit at home and be miserable and think I’m unlucky and so on.

“It’s easy to end up in that position. But no, see the positive sides of things and don’t bury yourself in setbacks, because this is the biggest setback of them all of course. It just came from nothing. And that makes you shocked.

“I’m not in any major pain. But I’ve been diagnosed with a disease that you can slow down but you cannot operate. So it is what it is.”