The behind-the-scenes photo of Macri with Guardiola and his friendship with the Manchester City president

Manchester City beaten 4-0 a real Madrid in the rematch of the semifinals of Champions League holding a football lesson signed by his coach, the Spaniard Pep Guardiola. Shortly thereafter, a sequence of photos went viral on the networks: Maurizio Macri Appears in private celebration, talks with Pep and a group photo making a four for the number of goals. What was the former Argentine president doing at the Etihad Stadium?

Far from the internal politics that are unleashed in Argentina in the face of a new presidential election, at least geographically, Macri was in London for personal reasons when he received the phone call from his Emirati friend Khaldon Al Mubarakthe president of the English club.

The proposal was impossible to refuse, at least in footballing terms: he asked him if he wanted to see City’s match against the Spanish team, perhaps the most propitious duel this Champions League, which will be defined Saturday 10 June in Türkiye. And Macri accepted.

In addition to being the president of Manchester “heavenly” since September 2008, when the group United Group of Abu Dhabi took over the reins of the institution, Al Mubarak is a US-trained businessman with a focus on mining, managing companies with a presence in the Middle East and South America.

His friendship with the former Argentine president became visible to all during the Qatar World Cup, when together they shared a box in Messi’s national team debut against Saudi Arabia. Macri, who holds a post at FIFA, was also shown with Gianni Infantino, president of the institution.

But returning to the Champions League and City’s great triumph against Real Madrid, Macri’s embrace with Guardiola reminds us of the first meeting between the two, ten years ago.

the then Head of government Buenos Aires received Pep in Buenos Aires, where he arrived to give a series of lectures and was distinguished as a guest of honor after appearing at the Usina del Arte in front of 120 students from the city.

“Thank you Pep Guardiola for the unique opportunity to meet you for more than 100 public school kids in the city,” tweeted Mauricio, grateful for the Spaniard’s gesture, always grateful for Argentine football and its people.

In addition to Macri, Guardiola and Mubarak, there are six other people in the photo at the Etihad Stadium vip: Pere Guardiola (in white shirt, brother of Pep), Manel Estiarte (in black sweater, friend of Pep and former Olympic water polo champion), Joan Patsy (in front of Pep, City’s representative in South America), Alberto Galassi (in blue tie, City manager) and Abdulla Khouri (with black glasses, another club manager).

As it turned out, Macri also walked through the dressing room and greeted some of the players who had just entered the Champions League final. The atmosphere was festive, there were relatives and friends. The English feel they have won a final and the appointment with Inter will be a separate match, which cannot get out of hand.