Video: Truth behind Pep Guardiola‑talking-to‑empty‑chair meme revealed
Abdullateef Fowewe
A resurfaced clip from Manchester City’s 2020 FA Cup semi-final at Wembley has finally put to rest the viral meme showing Pep Guardiola animatedly gesturing toward what looked like an empty seat.
The wider-angle footage clearly shows Pep speaking to Juan Manuel Lillo — his then-new assistant — who was seated one chair away for social distancing.
Other staff members are visible listening nearby, removing the impression Pep was talking to nobody.
The revelation came after Bernardo Silva jokingly asking Pep during City’s 2025/26 farewell celebrations, “The question is Pep, everyone wants to know, who are you talking to here?”
Pep replies with a deadpan smile and “No answer,” playing into the old joke about his intense, tactical obsession even off the touchline.
The clip serves as a reminder of Guardiola’s famously animated coaching style across 593 games for City, and how context can change a viral moment’s meaning.
Pep Guardiola decided weeks ago to leave Man City after a transformative ten-year spell, Dailyeconomy reports.
