Pep Guardiola Passport Missing Ahead of Team Flight to Iceland

Manchester City were almost left without a manager on their final pre-season trip as Pep Guardiola forgot his passport ahead of the team’s flight to Iceland.

The Spaniard was left red-faced as he was forced to wait inside the Manchester City team bus while a committed staff member rushed to the airport to deliver his documentation.

It arrived in time for Guardiola to take his seat aboard the team plane as it headed for Reykjavik, where they will play Premier League rivals West Ham in their final pre-season fixture on Friday.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola steps off the Manchester City team coach

The Spaniard rummages through his bag as he realises he may not have his passport

Guardiola makes an urgent phone call as he realises he has left his passport at home

Manchester City’s personal assistant Manel Estiarte collects the passport and runs back

MAN CITY’S TRAVELLING SQUAD

Ederson, Daniel Grimshaw , Robert Muric, Kyle Walker, Danilo, Vincent Kompany, John Stones, Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero, Eliaquim Mangala, Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane, David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Fernandinho, Patrick Roberts, Nicolas Otamendi, Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Yaya Toure, Tosin Adarabioyo, Brahim Diaz and Phil Foden.

Guardiola looked angry as he discovered that no level of fame can exempt from the rules of international travel and waited outside the airport for 30 minutes before his passport finally arrived.

His troubles soon evaporated as personal assistant Manel Estiarte collected the passport and joined the Manchester City squad on the plane, where new signing Bernardo Silva sat with his new team-mates.

The Portuguese midfielder is likely to play his first game in a Manchester City shirt on Friday evening following his big-money move from Monaco.

And he will get a good taste of what is to come as they play a familiar foe in the shape of West Ham, in what constitutes their final friendly before their Premier League campaign gets underway against Brighton.

Guardiola is all smiles again as he says farewell to the coach driver and makes his way in

The Manchester City manager goes up to he departure gate to join his playing squad

It may also be the last chance for youngsters Brahim Diaz and Phil Foden to impress as they look to secure a regular spot in Guardiola’s senior side following a string of impressive performances this summer.

New full-backs Danilo and Kyle Walker also made the squad but there was no room for Benjamin Mendy, who, like Bernando, also joined from Monaco in a £52m move earlier this summer.

There are also some familiar faces in tow with Nicolas Otamendi posting a picture of his comfy first-class surroundings alongside fellow Argentine Sergio Aguero.

City play West Ham at the 15,000-capacity Laugardalsvollur Stadium and will kick off at 3pm BST.

New signings Bernando Silva and Kyle Walker make their way through the airport

The rest of the Manchester City squad made their way through the airport without a problem

Nicolas Otamendi sat alongside Sergio Aguero as they enjoy their first-class surroundings