Noel Gallagher has opened up on his friendship with Pep Guardiola, admitting he once upset the Manchester City boss.
Former Oasis star Noel is a famous fan of the Blues and has been often pictured with Guardiola, notably celebrating on the pitch at the Etihad with the Catalan after City clinched the Premier League title three years ago in the 2017/18 season.
After City were crowned champions this campaign, though, social media was sent into a frenzy when a video emerged of Guardiola stylishly smoking a cigar to celebrate the triumph, proudly singing along to Oasis’ Don’t Look Back in Anger on camera.
The Blues boss is known to be a huge fan of the iconic Manchester band and Gallagher has revealed he was in contact with Guardiola on the night City celebrated their fifth Premier League title at the training ground with staff.
“He sent me a few messages that night – let’s just say he was enjoying himself,” Gallagher said to the BBC. “I was impressed that he can sing while smoking a massive cigar, which is very difficult. I am not sure I could pull that off!”
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Gallagher then began to explain how he once upset Guardiola, revealing a brilliant anecdote from the pair’s friendship.
“To be honest, Pep is always trying to get me to bring a guitar to a game,” Gallagher said. “A couple of years ago, before our last game of the season, I had a day off in Amsterdam where I was on tour, and my phone went and it was Guardiola. I was thinking ‘I wonder what he wants?’. So I picked up and he is going, ‘Sunday, you are coming to the match?’
“I said ‘yeah’ and he said ‘right, bring your guitar, because you can do a little gig for us in the dressing room afterwards’. I was like ‘mate, I can’t because all my equipment is on the road’ and he was getting a bit upset about it, going ‘why not!?’.
“One day, I’d love to do it and he can have a singalong with me, of course.”
Although Guardiola is widely regarded as one of the game’s finest ever managers, Gallagher was keen to insist ‘he is one of us’.
“Everyone who has seen that video, even my mates who support Manchester United and Liverpool, have all been saying ‘what a dude’ and how they wish he was their manager,” Gallagher added.
“And then of course because I know him a little bit I was like ‘guys, you have no idea what he is like. He is not just our manager, he is one of us’.”
