Pep Guardiola has shed light on his surprise midweek appearance at a League One fixture, explaining his decision to watch Stockport County take on Port Vale instead of a blockbuster Champions League showdown.

The Manchester City boss raised eyebrows on Tuesday night when he was spotted in the stands at Edgeley Park, as third-tier Stockport suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat to already-relegated Port Vale. The result was a blow for the promotion-chasing hosts, but Guardiola's presence stole the headlines.

On a night when Paris Saint-Germain and his former club Bayern Munich delivered a nine-goal thriller in the Champions League semi-finals—with PSG taking a 5-4 lead in the tie—many wondered why the Catalan tactician would choose a lower-league clash over European football's elite. Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of City's Premier League meeting with Everton, Guardiola offered a characteristically playful explanation.

"I saw the calendar, the game PSG-Bayern Munich, and I said 'Ah, what a disaster game! The managers are not good—Luis, Vinny. Really, really s***, s*** players!' So I decided to go," Guardiola joked. "I'm in love with English football, and I went to see Stockport."

The lighthearted remark underscores Guardiola's genuine appreciation for the grassroots passion and intensity of English football, even as he prepares his own squad for a crucial title run-in. For fans and aspiring players alike, it's a reminder that the beautiful game thrives at every level—and that even the world's best managers never stop learning from the game's purest forms.