Julius OkorieManchester City threw away two goals lead to draw 2-2 against Brentford on Tuesday in the EPL It was a game that was almost done and dusted after Philip Foden grabbed a brace scoring first in the 66th minute and then in the 78th minute.
All visiting Man City needed to do was to defend the lead just 12 minutes and pocket three points. But that was not to be as the team caved in conceding two goals in a spate of 10 minutes in the 82nd minute and two minutes of added time.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelIt was sad indeed and embattled Man City boss Pep Guardiola could not stomach it. He was so visibly angry as he raged at goalkeeper Stefan Ortega in bizarre embrace. The anger filled embrace was coming just a day after Guardiola’s ‘split with wife’ Cristina Serra was revealed.
Guardiola, who has three grown-up children with his fashion boss wife, has always stayed at their family home – an £8.4 million mansion in Barcelona’s most elite neighbourhood – when he has returned to the Catalan capital from Manchester.
He is now expected to move out of the home, but, on Tuesday, it was strictly football matters for the Spaniard as his side took on Brentford in the Premier League.
After Guardiola was mocked by fans as he arrived at the ground, Phil Foden had netted a brace for the champions, but Yoane Wissa and Christian Norgaard both struck to ensure the points were shared as City’s struggles continued.
And post-match, Guardiola was snapped in a bizarre embrace with his goalkeeper, Ortega, as he appeared angered by what had transpired, though continued to hug the German.
Perception:
The perception in football circles right now is that Pep has actually be undergoing painful moment even before the revelation of the split emerged. It is possible that the discussion with his spouse all aimed at avoiding the split had been ongoing behind the scene until it hit a point of no return.
Flash back to November when City blew 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord in the Champions League, Guardiola was later seen with several scratch marks on his forehead during is post-match interview with broadcaster Amazon Prime.
Asked by reporters during his news conference about a mark on his nose, Guardiola made a scratching motion and said: “With my finger, my nail.”
The 53-year-old then said “I want to harm myself” before laughing and leaving the news conference
“I was caught off guard with a question at the end of a press conference last night about a scratch which had appeared on my face and explained that a sharp fingernail had accidentally caused this,” said a statement posted on Guardiola’s behalf by his official account on X and Instagram.
READ ALSO:Disappointments, Prayers As Guardiola, Wife Serra Split After 30 years
“My answer was in no way intended to make light of the very serious issue of self-harm.”
The statement added that Guardiola is aware “many people struggle with mental health issues every day” and referenced the Samaritans charity to “highlight one of the ways people can seek help”.The draw against Feyenoord at Etihad Stadium ended City’s five-game losing run all of which could have been linked to distractions as Pep easily one of the most respected coaches in the round leather game battled at the domestic front the magnitude of which may not have been known until the split story emerged.
Confusion:
It is apparent that the reported ‘friendly and cordial’ relationship between Pep and the wife may not really be so. If it were, why will a marriage of 3 years that produced group up children and who have gotten used to being living apart because of job demands suddenly see split as the way to go?
Although Guardiola has worked at the Etihad for nearly nine years, the couple are thought to have lived apart for at least five of them, with Serra living in Barcelona with their three children Maria, 24, Marius, 22, and Valentina, 17.
Guardiola and Serra are said to be keen for relations to remain as they are, namely, ‘friendly and cordial.
Is it Really About Divorce Or The Money?
The former Barcelona manager is believed to be worth an estimated £35million, and is likely to lose a chunk of the sum to Serra should divorce heading split pull through.
When Home Front Affects Result on the Pitch:
Pep Guardiola easily one of the most decorated coaches with cabinet full of trophies could not have done that without emotional stability needed to focus on the job of competing among the best. His titles include three champions league titles won with Manchester City and Barcelona, four FIFA club world cup won three different clubs Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, four UEFA Super Cup, with Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.
Impressive six league titles with Manchester city and still counting. But with the split saga how easy will it be for Pep to continue to achieve the needed result?
Some have cited the challenges of living apart, but over the years the couple had gotten used to his visiting regularly depending on his work schedule and if this has effectively been managed all this years some ask why the sudden need to part ways.
Others conclude that it is perhaps about the money which has in most high profile separations ended up as the reason for the separation.
Could Guardiola’s case be heading the way of some of the high profile separations such as that of three examples given below?
Formula One tycoon Bernie and Slavica Ecclestone
Married for 24 years, the divorce between Bernie Ecclestone and his ex-wife Slavica Radic is one of the most expensive in history – regardless of the profession of the stars involved.
Radic, Ecclestone’s second wife, shares two children with the Formula One tycoon but parted ways with the former chief executive on the grounds of his ‘unreasonable behaviour’ in 2009.
Due to the length of their marriage, Radic was entitled to half of his then £2.4billion fortune, and later smashed the British record for a divorce settlement when she recieved her £1bn portion after a High Court judge granted the decree nisi in just 58 seconds.
Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren
Although the couple are now thought to be on good terms, few could have predicted such a harmonious ending to the split sparked by Tiger Woods’ infamous car crash in November 2009.
By the time the dust had settled on their divorce, Nordegren is believed to have received over £82.1m ($100m), plus child support, with the pair now co-parenting daughter Sam, 17, and son Charlie, 15.
Thierry Henry and Claire Merry
Married to Claire Merry since 2003, all seemed rosy with Thierry Henry, who had purchased a home in London and had a two-year-old daughter in the thick of a decorated spell at Arsenal.
But in September 2007 a high court judge in London granted the couple their divorce, with Merry arguing Henry’s ‘unreasonable behaviour’ was the reason – and the France international choosing not to contest the grounds.
Having met when Henry and Merry starred in a TV advert for Renault, model Merry was awarded close to her requested sum of £10m in 2008, with Henry said to be on around £130,000-a-week in Spain during his stint at Barcelona.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
