Pep Guardiola unexpectedly 'arrives' at a Serie C club

Coach Pep Guardiola attended the home game of Brescia against Pro Patria in the Italian third division.

Recently, Coach Pep Guardiola surprised many by briefly leaving England, where he manages Manchester City, to attend the match between Brescia and Pro Patria in Italy's Serie C.

In the past, the Spanish tactician had a long association with Brescia, having played 24 matches for the club across two spells in the early 2000s.

According to Italian media, his appearance at the 19,000-seat stadium caught many fans off guard. Nonetheless, they were thrilled to welcome one of the world's top coaches to watch their beloved team.

When Guardiola played here, Brescia was still a Serie A team. During that period, he shared the field with stars like Roberto Baggio and Luca Toni.

However, after years of decline, the club fell into crisis and even declared bankruptcy last summer. In the previous season, they narrowly avoided relegation from Serie B but were docked four points after the season ended, a penalty that officially dropped the club to Serie C.

The club president was forced to declare bankruptcy due to an inability to pay debts of around £2.6 million. The team was reborn in Serie C under the name Union Brescia and is currently second in Group A, showing promising signs of recovery.

Guardiola personally witnessed their 3-2 victory over Pro Patria, who are near the bottom of the standings. Meanwhile, the Premier League title race remains highly competitive.

Arsenal recently defeated Tottenham 4-1 away from home, extending their lead at the top of the Premier League to five points. However, Manchester City continues to chase closely with three consecutive wins, especially as Arsenal dropped points against Brentford and Wolves.

Guardiola aims to secure his seventh Premier League title with Manchester City before his contract expires. So far, he has not signed a new extension, fueling ongoing speculation about his future.