Julia Roberts broke my heart, Pep Guardiola admits

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 15 Mar 2023 15:04 GMT
• 4 min read

Pep Guardiola has said that even if Manchester City win the Champions League this season, it will still be a “failure” after he was snubbed by Julia Roberts.

Guardiola watched his Man City side sweep away RB Leipzig in the last 16 on Tuesday. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, the Etihad side claimed a 7-0 victory in Manchester, with Erling Haaland’s remarkably five-goal haul eradicating any talk of the controversial nature of the penalty that allowed him to open the scoring.

City’s thumping win was a warning shot to their rivals across Europe that they appear finally poised to win the Champions League – although in a remarkable post-match interview, Guardiola confessed that it would be a hollow success for him after learning Oscar winning actress Roberts is a Man Utd fan.

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What did Pep Guardiola say about Julia Roberts?

“I have three heroes in life, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Julia Roberts,” he explained. “Julia Roberts came to Manchester. She didn’t come to see us. Even if I win the Champions League, it will be a failure because of the disappointment of Julia Roberts going to United.”

Indeed, the Pretty Woman, Erin Brockovich and Ocean’s Eleven star has been pictured with a string of Manchester United players, including Juan Mata and Marouane Fellaini, in the past.

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Guardiola, meanwhile, is seeking a first Champions League title since 2011, the second of two that he won while in charge at Barcelona.

Since then, the trophy has eluded him at Bayern Munich and, thus far at City, where he has been for the last seven years.

Given the money that has been spent by the Etihad club, whose ambition is to become the best team in Europe, there remains a debate over whether his time in charge will be considered a failure should the competition continue to escape them.

With Haaland in such prolific form, though, City will be difficult to stop.