‘It’s giving me a headache looking at it’: Garish Guardiola sweater leaves social media in stitches

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola’s team selections appear to be far better than his wardrobe choices as he was mocked for donning a particularly garish striped sweater at a press conference on Friday.

Speaking to the media ahead of Sunday’s crunch Premier League fixture at home to Chelsea, the Spaniard appeared in a roll-neck top boasting a dizzying array of horizontal stripes.

While the topic of discussion at the conference mainly focused on footballing matters ahead of the weekend’s big game, social media was more concerned by Guardiola’s questionable sartorial selection.

City sit top of the league on goal difference, but have played one game more than second-placed Liverpool.

Some said Guardiola’s sweater spoke of a man confident that his team would sew up the Premier League title for a second successive season.

Other comparisons of what the Man City coach looked like ranged from “a Lebanese schoolgirl from the 1970s” to a children’s TV presenter from the same decade.

Others focused on the psychedelic effect of the item of clothing – which was not always welcome.

There were also comparisons between the former Barcelona boss and Sesame Street character Ernie, as well as one Twitter user’s hallway rug.      

Guardiola infamously ran afoul of the English football authorities over an incident involving an item of clothing earlier this season, when he threw his scarf to the ground in disgust at a decision during his team’s 2-1 win over Liverpool.

The 48-year-old was warned by the FA over his conduct.

But Guardiola’s latest clothing choice prompted RT Sport to think of a similar offering from Russian MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko, whose own favorite striped top earned renown and even its own nickname, ‘The Glorious Sweater of Absolute Victory.’

Emelianenko was seen in the sweater on various occasions over the course of a decade, but auctioned it on eBay last year, raising more than $10,000 for charity.

So who wore it better, Fedor or Pep? We’ll leave it up to you to decide.