A video that was shot before to Manchester City and AC Milan’s preseason friendly on Saturday night has gone viral.
It included a chilly reunion between Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Pep Guardiola, two former Barcelona players.
Before they shook hands, City manager Guardiola seemed to try to talk to Ibrahimovic, who is currently an advisor to Milan’s owners.
Later, Ibrahimovic posted the video to Instagram with the comment, “Just a friendly game.”
But in recent times, Guardiola and Ibrahimovic’s relationship has been infamously acrimonious.
In this April 2010 photo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the striker, is seen discussing with manager Pep Guardiola (right) during a match between Barcelona and Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League semifinal.
It’s ̞ke³ In this April 2010 photo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is seen conferring with manager Pep Guardiola (right) during a match between Barcelona and Inter Milan for the UEFA Champions League semifinal.
On Saturday, Guardiola (right) addressed Ibrahimovic, bringing them back together after 14 years apart.
On Saturday, Guardiola (right) addressed Ibrahimovic, bringing them back together after 14 years apart.
In the USA, Guardiola and Ibrahimovic gave a strange embrace that was captured on camera.
A cute hug between Guardiola and Ibrahimovic was captured on camera while they were in the United States.
La Liga, the Supercopa de Espana, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup were the four trophies that Barca won that season, and Ibrahimovic scored 21 goals.
But there was a lack of harmony between him and Guardiola.
In his 2013 autobiography I Am Zlatan, Ibrahimovic later attacked Guardiola, branding him a “spineless coward.”
In the book, Ibrahimovic also confessed to having ordered Guardiola to “go to Żeɩʩ” and to not have “any balls” when Barca lost to Inter Milan in the Champions League semifinal in April 2010.
As Guardiola turned to leave, Ibrahimovic gave the Spaniard the thumbs up.
Guardiola was walking away when Ibrahimovic gave him a thumbs up.
Despite their prior bad blood, Guardiola and Ibrahimovic shook hands, gave each other hugs, and had a quick conversation over the weekend.
A viewer responded to the footage with a tweet that said, “Zlatan and Pep looking like awkward ex-couples meeting for the first time after a bad breakup.”
Then, a fan of City wrote: “Observe how Zlatan is unable to maintain eye contact.” How ̖γoοіс? This is the same man who labeled Pep a coward.
“Zlatan cannot even look Pep in the eyes after years of slandering him,” a second City supporter commented, adding an emoji of a clown in response.