For some reason, Pep Guardiola‘s still upset about the fact his “idol” Julia Roberts went to a Manchester United match back in 2016.
No, we’re not making this up.
Despite the fact that during his time as Manchester City manager alone, the Catalan coach has lead his team to four Premier League titles, four EFL Cups, and one FA Cup, as well as clinching the coveted domestic treble in the 2018-19 season, and breaking countless records along the way, he admits he still considers himself to be a “failure”.
He may be considered one of the greatest football managers of all time, and he may currently hold the records for the most consecutive league games won in La Liga, the Bundesliga, and the Premier League – but that’s not enough for Pep to see himself as successful, apparently.
And it’s all because Hollywood megastar Julia Roberts snubbed the Sky Blues to make a trip over to the red half of Manchester one fateful day back in 2016.
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"I'm a failure… Julia Roberts went to see Man Utd, not us!" 💔
Pep Guardiola reveals Julia Roberts is one of his three idols, and that he'll never get over the actress going to see his city rivals when she visited Manchester 😔 pic.twitter.com/arRsfgNqsS
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 15, 2023
“I am a failure in the Champions League,” Guardiola said in his press conference last night after City smashed RB Leipzig 7-0 in the second leg of the Round of 16 in the Champions League.
“If I win the Champions League three times in a row, I will be a failure.”
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He then went on to “explain a secret” to the listening journalists, and revealed that he has three idols in his life – Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Julia Roberts.
“These are my three idols,” he added.
Julia Roberts with her family at Old Trafford in 2016 / Credit: Manchester United (via Twitter)
“Julia Roberts years ago came to Manchester, not in the 90s when Sir Alex (Ferguson) was winning titles and titles and titles. She came in the period where we were better than United, in these four or five years, right?
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“And she went to visit Man United. She didn’t come to see us.
“That’s why, even if I win the Champions League, it will not compare for the fact that Julia Roberts came to Manchester and didn’t come to see us.
“Even if I win the Champions League, it will not compare to this disappointment I had.”
The enigmatic manager has been known for saying some bizarre things in his press conferences and post match interviews throughout his career, but it’s fair to say this is up there as one of his most confusing – especially as he never actually went on to reveal why he considers Julia Roberts to be one of his idols.
Regardless of the lack of context, Manchester United still managed to have a bit of fun with it, and took to Twitter to rub it in.
The Red Devils shared a handful of pictures of actress and her family at their home stadium, with the caption: “Throwing it back to when Julia Roberts visited Old Trafford.”
And it doesn’t take a genius to work out this wasn’t a coincidental “throwback”.
Also in the same press conference, Pep explained explained why he chose to substitute record-breaking Erling Haaland after the star striker scored five goals in last night’s match – including two in two minutes, and a hattrick in the first half – before he had the chance to smash in another.
Manchester City’s Stadium Tours are back for the summer and bigger than ever
Danny Jones
Manchester City stadium tours are back for summer 2026, with more to see from the home of the Blues than ever, and with 15% off all tickets until the end of August, too.
It’s safe to say that Man City are going through a HUGE period of change right now: embarking on a new era under Enzo Maresca following the dynasty of Pep Guardiola, vast redevelopments of the wider Etihad Campus, a new club hotel, and the expansion of the North Stand – now named after said Catalan coach.
With that in mind, there’s so much new stuff going on over in East Manchester and arguably more of it all happening in one place than we can recall in recent memory, making it the perfect time for Cityzens to return to the famous home ground – indeed, your Etihad debut if you haven’t made one already.
Giving you greater access to areas usually reserved for players and staff only than ever, this exclusive, interactive and virtual tour will take you through the very bones of the storied sporting arena, all the way through to pitchside.
Fans can explore the dressing room and follow in the footsteps of their favourite City players as they walk through the iconic glass players’ tunnel, before walking out into the open air and sitting in the dugout to take in that incredible view.
You can also try out the latest ‘Beyond the Blue Moon’ experience – an immersive VR adventure that sees supporters journey through Manchester City’s past, present, and future.
Following on from Pep lending his likeness, using innovative technology, you can now even have the chance to put your questions to Erling Haaland in the Press Conference Room.
There aren’t many teams on the planet that offer this level of stadium tour, let alone just here in the UK, so it’s no wonder they remain award-winning almost every single year.
Whether you’re a lifelong City fan, a football lover or visiting this wonderful place we call Manchester for the very first time, there’s something for everyone.
For instance, with The Medlock Hotel and accompanying Medlock Square already lining up its maiden events, the City Football Group (CFG) are once again committing to make the wider Etihad Campus an all-year-round entertainment destination.
That being said, plenty of people online have been generating a lot of buzz about the aforementioned Medlock’s new stadium-view rooms since clips appeared on social media.
Pitch view rooms coming to the Radisson Blu Medlock Hotel at #ManCity’s Etihad Stadium. 🤯
As for the tickets themselves, the club have also taken steps to keep the cost affordable.
Standard prices start from just £32 for adults and only £20 for under-16s, with larger family packages available from £60.
BUT, with the 15% discount mentioned earlier, adults currently cost just £27; kids go for just £17, and those family passes start from just £51.
You can find all the options when it comes to stadium tour passes and grab the type of admission that suits you right HERE.
Speaking of tickets, City have also been met with praise for the introduction of new discounted seats for local residents; find out all the details below.
René Meulensteen names the ‘ideal’ signing that Man United appear to be overlooking
Danny Jones
Ex-Manchester United coach René Meulensteen has named the one key signing that he feels the Red Devils are missing out on by not pursuing this summer.
The former Man United assistant, who served under Sir Alex and has recently returned to the backrooms of the English football pyramid, has given his verdict on what he thinks his old club still needs in terms of reinforcements.
Chatting with TipmanTips, the 62-year-old identified the backline as a persisting problem area for now full-time manager Michael Carrick, insisting that they could do with another central defender.
The footballer in question is his fellow countryman, Micky van de Ven – fresh from a new contract with Tottenham Hotspur – who has surprised many by not securing his next big-money move so far in the transfer window.
We are delighted to announce that Micky van de Ven has signed a new contract with the Club!
Speaking in an exclusive interview, he said his Dutch compatriot wouldn’t just be a great rotation player but a starter coming into the 2026/26 season.
“I still think they’re vulnerable at the back”, says Meulensteen, “and that’s one thing Michael is going to have to sort out as soon as possible when the season starts. Finding a centre-back partnership that works and getting some consistency in the back line will be key.
“Harry Maguire is coming off a good end to last season, but he needs some complementary centre-backs next to him, and then also on the right-hand side next to him with Mazraoui and Dalot not really doing anything.”
“I would have been looking at Micky van de Ven from Spurs before he signed a new deal. He’s powerful, he’s quick, he’s got great experience in playing as a left centre back in the Premier League, and he would have given United a very different dynamic in their defence.
He rounded off the recommendation, however late, by arguing that were Maguire to be a mainstay first-choice centre-half for Carrick this season, “van de Ven would’ve meant you wouldn’t have to worry about his lack of pace in behind, as he can cover so much ground recovering.”
As for who they have brought in so far, they’ve managed a well-balanced, albeit limited number of young and experienced talents, including the surprise return of greatest-ever goalscorers (currently 13th on the all-time list at still just 28) in Marcus Rashford.
While he did go on to cite the likes of Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke as a viable alternative, it’s fair to say he would be high up on the shortlist of many fans – and not just United.
On the other hand, we’d once again reiterate that we include ourselves among those stunned that he hasn’t had more suitors floating around of late, especially given he was one of the few bright lights among a side that nearly got relegated last term.
Would you have him as another CB option, Reds?
As for the one-time United assistant, he has recently been introduced to Stockport County FC supporters as the latest addition to the technical staff in an admittedly curious new position…
Emily Sergeant -
15th March 2023 
