Guardiola details why Man City splashed cash on Grealish
There are huge comparisons in the way they play, and now there are comparisons in how they felt leaving their favourite clubs. It is safe to say Jack Grealish and Lionel Messi left Aston Villa and Barcelona respectively with heavy hearts.
Grealish, 25, left the club he has been at since he was just six for the bright lights of the Champions League at Manchester City.
It was never in his best intentions to do so. Having captained Villa for just over two years, and playing for the first team since his debut at his future employers seven years ago, it left Grealish with a tough decision to make.
But ultimately, the chance to win major trophies with Manchester City - with the club having won thirteen of them in the last decade - was too hard to turn down, no matter his affinity to Birmingham's most successful club
It is a far cry from the start of his Villa career. After experiencing relegation in 2016, and Grealish himself holding the Premier League record for consecutive losses in a row with an astonishing 16, not many people would have envisaged this in his career.
Grealish made his debut for City at Wembley this weekend - though it wasn't the result he wanted (Image: GETTY)
Speaking for the first time since his nine-figure sum move to the north of England, Grealish expressed his sorrow at leaving Villa Park - but he also looked forward to getting started at the Etihad.
"I reported back from training as I was meant to, that's when the manager wanted me back", Grealish said.
"It was difficult because in the back of my head I knew I might be going.
"I didn't really train, I did a few stuff [sic] on my own, it was difficult.
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"Everyone saw the way Messi was at his final press conference, that's the exact way I felt myself.
"Before I left at the hotel I spoke to the team, staff and players, and I teared up a little bit myself.
"I felt like it was time to move on. I've always said how much I've wanted to play Champions League football and I couldn't do that at Villa this year.
"I've got a football club here that's got so much potential, the most successful English side in the last ten years. They've shown so much faith in me and I felt like it was the right time."
Jack Grealish scores at Old Trafford for Aston Villa (Image: GETTY)
Grealish made his debut off the bench in Saturday's Community Shield fixture against Leicester City.
However, Kelechi Iheanacho's last minute penalty gave the Foxes the win, meaning Grealish will have to wait a while to lift some silverware just yet.
City get their Premier League campaign started this Sunday (16:30) away at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.