Pep Guardiola cut a frustrated figure and launched into a bizarre hug at goalkeeper Stefan Ortega after Manchester City blew a two-goal lead against Brentford.
On Monday evening, reports from Spain claimed that Guardiola and his wife Cristina had decided to divorce after 30 years together.
Guardiola, who has three grown-up children with his fashion boss wife, has always stayed at their family home – an £8.4million mansion in Barcelona’s most elite area – whenever he has returned to the Catalan capital from Manchester.
He is now expected to leave home, but it was all football business for the Spaniard on Tuesday 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 scored a brace for the champions, but Yoane Wissa and Christian Norgaard both struck to ensure the points were shared as City’s battle continued.
And after the match, Guardiola was seen hugging his goalkeeper Ortega in a bizarre embrace as he appeared upset about what had happened, although he continued to hug the German.
Pep Guardiola was seen furious with goalkeeper Stefan Ortega after Manchester City’s draw against Brentford
The Spaniard was on a roll in his first match since reports emerged that he had split from his wife Cristina
Reports suggest that the duo have split after 30 years together, although no third person is reportedly involved
Guardiola, who was also in an intense conversation with Josko Gvardiol on the pitch at full-time, got into Ortega’s face as he appeared to try to get his point across.
He could be seen grabbing the 32-year-old, still angry, and getting in his face as the player turned his head away.
Pep then grabbed Ortega’s head and shouted in his ear, before retreating and becoming even more frustrated, seemingly shouting in his face.
He lightly punched his player’s chest, then hugged him again and appeared to kiss him on the cheek.
After a few more hugs and exchanges, the two men went their separate ways.
Ortega recently supplanted Ederson as the No. 1 goalkeeper for City, with the Brazilian once again on the bench against Brentford on Tuesday.
He potentially could have done more to stop Norgaard’s equalizer at the Gtech Community Stadium, but it remains unclear what the duo were talking about.
The Spanish journalist who broke the shocking news has meanwhile insisted that Guardiola and his wife Cristina did not split because of a third person.
Guardiola could be seen grabbing Ortega as he turned his head away and got physical as he put his arm around the player
Reports suggest the couple’s split has been ‘a considered decision that the couple has talked about for months’
Guardiola was also seen in what appeared to be a heated exchange with Josko Gvardiol
Lorena Vazquez, who is part of a highly respected reporting duo known in Spain as the Mamarazzis, said overnight: “It has been a well-considered decision that the pair have been talking about for months.
‘They still have a cordial and loving relationship. No one else is involved. There are no third parties. We continue to see them together.’
She added after revealing the couple’s shock split: “They did not expect journalists or media outlets to confirm this split, but I can assure you that they live separately and only a small handful of people knew about it.”
Guardiola said after the match: ‘[I am] Disappointed because it didn’t work with a 2-0 lead [the game] before the 2-1, after we had done very well. In the end they played a lot in the box, we are not strong there because of the absences we have, and unfortunately we could not close the match.
“Today we didn’t make the right decisions in the final third when we could still run. They have chances in the first minute, they have momentum because they are an incredible team here.
“I felt like we didn’t make the right decisions in the final third to close out the game.”