Zlatan Ibrahimović and Pep Guardiola , two former FC Barcelona stars , were reunited during a pre - season friendly match between Manchester City F.C. and AC Milan in New York . A viral video captured the icy reunion , with Guardiola approaching Ibrahimović , who now works as an advisor for Milan 's owners , before the two exchanged a handshake . Despite their famously unfriendly relationship in the past , the encounter seemed amicable , with Ibrahimović sharing the clip on Instagram with the caption : ' Just a friendly game . '

Guardiola was Ibrahimović 's manager at Barcelona during the 2009 - 2010 season , where the team won four trophies . However , their relationship soured , leading Ibrahimović to criticize Guardiola in his autobiography , ' I Am Zlatan , ' calling him a ' spineless coward . ' The Swede even described a heated exchange during Barcelona 's Champions League semi - final defeat by Inter Milan in April 2010.

Despite their history of animosity , Guardiola and Ibrahimović shared a handshake , a hug , and a brief chat during their reunion in the USA . Fans took to social media to comment on the awkward encounter , with one likening them to ' awkward exes meeting for the first time after a bad breakup . ' Another observer noted Ibrahimović 's inability to maintain eye contact , considering his past criticisms of Guardiola.

In the match itself , AC Milan emerged victorious with a 3 - 2 win over Manchester City , who had previously been beaten by Celtic in their pre - season tour of the United States . City will be looking to secure their first win of the summer when they face FC Barcelona in Orlando on Tuesday night.

The reunion between Ibrahimović and Guardiola highlights the complex dynamics in football relationships , where former teammates and managers may not always see eye to eye . Despite their past differences , the two footballing icons showed a level of mutual respect during their encounter , demonstrating that time and context can influence the evolution of personal interactions in the world of football.