Manchester United have taunted Pep Guardiola on social media with a funny response to Pep Guardiola's claim that he will always be a "failure" at Manchester City because his idol Julia Roberts once visited Old Trafford instead of the Etihad.
After beating RB Leipzig 7-0 in the second leg of their last-16 Champions League game, the Manchester City manager, rather bizarrely, revealed in his post-match press conference that his three idols are Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and, err, Julia Roberts.
However, Guardiola insisted that seeing Roberts decide to visit Manchester United's stadium instead of the City ground in 2016 left him
"I am a failure in the Champions League," Guardiola said. "If win the Champions League three times in a row I will be a failure.
Throwing it back to when Julia Roberts visited Old Trafford 😏#MUFC pic.twitter.com/xBzLZgnJLKMarch 15, 2023
"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?
"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."
The Catalan continued, suggesting success at Manchester City won't help him get over being snubbed by the American actress.
"Even if I win the Champions League it will not compare to this disappointment I had."
Manchester United have been quick to taunt Guardiola on social media, posting images of Roberts' visit to Old Trafford in November 2016, where she watched Jose Mourinho's side draw 1-1 with West Ham.
"Throwing it back to when Julia Roberts visited Old Trafford," Manchester United wrote on Twitter, alongside a smug emoji.
Former coach and now-Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick is also seen in one of the photos, clearly a dig at Pep that she wanted to meet Carrick over him.