China Manchester derby cancelled after heavy rain
Pep Guardiola will shake Jose Mourinho’s hands once again but it’s not going to happen in China any time soon.
A pre-season game between Manchester United and Manchester City scheduled to hold at the Birds Nest Stadium in Beijing will not go ahead.
The pitch became “unplayable” after heavy rainfall, officials said.
United manager Jose Mourinho on Sunday called the pitch “bad”. City boss Pep Guardiola said he feared his players could be injured because of the state of the surface.
The match was billed to hold Monday but heavy rainfall had visited the area overnight reportedly leaving the pitch “unplayable”.
City and United said “tournament organisers and clubs” decided to cancel the match even as heavy rains are expected to fall on Monday.
The development must have left football fans who wanted to see Mourinho renew his rivalry with Guardiola disappointed.
Mourinho, who battled with Guardiola in the Spanish LaLiga, is known to snub handshakes from rival managers.
“Of course, I will”, Guardiola had said when asked if he would shake Mourinho’s hands in Beijing.
United and City fans now have to wait for other managers to go head to head in the English Premier League..
