Former Manchester United manager were seen at Etihad yesterday for Guardiola replacement no one saw it coming

Ruben Amorim was once one of the most talked about managers in football, a young coach with big ideas, strong personality, and the kind of confidence that made people believe he could change any team he touched. But football can be very fast, and sometimes very cruel, and that is exactly what happened during his time at Manchester United. Now, just a few months after his painful exit, he is far away from the pressure, far away from the noise, and far away from the expectations that once followed him every single day.

In a quiet moment under the warm sun in Portugal, Ruben Amorim was seen smiling again. Not on the touchline. Not in a press conference. Not answering difficult questions about tactics or poor results. Instead, he was playing padel, laughing, and enjoying life with someone who knows him very well, his close friend Hugo Viana.

For many people watching from the outside, this moment felt strange. Just a few months ago, Amorim was under intense pressure at one of the biggest clubs in the world. Every decision he made was judged. Every result was analyzed. Every mistake was discussed across the media. Now, he looked relaxed, almost like a different person.

His time at Manchester United ended in January after a disappointing run of results. The final moment came after a 1-1 draw against Leeds, a game that seemed to confirm that things were not going to improve. Behind the scenes, there had already been problems. Disagreements with the club’s leadership made things even more difficult. It was not just about results on the pitch, it was also about relationships, ideas, and direction.

When the decision was finally made, it was sudden but not surprising. Amorim left the club with a reported £12 million payout, a large amount of money that showed just how big the situation was. But money cannot fix everything. For a manager like Amorim, who built his reputation on passion, ambition, and belief, the way things ended must have hurt deeply.

Since that moment, he has chosen to stay away from the spotlight. No big interviews. No dramatic statements. No attempts to defend himself in public. Instead, he has stayed quiet, spending time away from football, trying to clear his mind and find balance again.

That is why the image of him playing padel in Lisbon feels important. It shows a different side of him. Not the stressed manager. Not the man under pressure. But a person enjoying simple things again.

The place where he was seen, a sports club called Padel Expo in Lisbon, became the center of attention after the photo was shared. The club even joked about trying to recruit him to their coaching staff. It was a light moment, something that feels very different from the heavy atmosphere that surrounded him at Old Trafford.

Beside him was Hugo Viana, someone who has been part of his journey for many years. Their connection goes back to their time as players at Braga, long before they became important figures in football management. Over time, their relationship grew stronger, built on trust and shared ideas about the game.

When Amorim moved into coaching, Viana played a key role in his career. As a sporting director at Sporting Lisbon, Viana was the one who brought Amorim in. Together, they achieved great success, winning five trophies, including two league titles. It was a partnership that worked perfectly, with both men understanding each other completely.

Now, Viana has moved on to a new role as sporting director at Manchester City, one of the most powerful clubs in Europe. Since joining, he has been involved in reshaping the team, bringing in new players and helping to plan for the future under Pep Guardiola.

Despite working for rival clubs in Manchester, their friendship did not change. Even when Amorim was managing United, it is believed that the two stayed in contact and continued to spend time together. That shows how strong their bond is, something that goes beyond football rivalries.

Seeing them together again in Portugal feels natural. It is a reminder that football is not just about competition, but also about relationships and human connections.

While Amorim has been enjoying his break, things have changed quickly at Manchester United. After his departure, the club moved in a new direction. Michael Carrick stepped in and began to steady the team. Before him, Darren Fletcher had taken temporary charge for a short period.

Under Carrick, results have improved. Winning seven out of ten games is a strong run, and it has given fans hope again. For some people, this makes Amorim’s time at the club look even worse. But football is never that simple.

Sometimes, a manager builds something that only becomes visible after he leaves. Sometimes, the players need time to understand ideas. Sometimes, change itself creates new energy. Even one of Amorim’s former players, Matheus Cunha, spoke about this recently.

Cunha said that Amorim played a big role in the current success. He talked about how new players came because of Amorim, and how his influence is still part of the team. It was a strong statement, one that suggests the story is more complex than just wins and losses.

That is often the case in football. A manager’s impact cannot always be measured immediately. Sometimes, it takes time to understand what they really did.

Away from club football, Amorim also made a surprise appearance at a tennis event in Qatar. During a match between Carlos Alcaraz and Karen Khachanov, the cameras suddenly showed him sitting in the crowd.

The commentators were surprised. One of them even joked that he now has a lot of free time. But Amorim looked calm, relaxed, and fully focused on the match. It was another small moment that showed how his life has changed.

No pressure. No stress. Just watching sport as a fan.

This period of rest might be exactly what he needs. Before joining Manchester United, Amorim had already built a strong reputation. He managed clubs like Casa Pia, Braga, and Sporting Lisbon, achieving success and showing that he has real talent as a coach.

At Sporting, he was especially impressive. Winning titles, developing players, and creating a clear style of play made many people believe he was one of the best young managers in Europe. That is why United took the risk to bring him in.

But moving to a club like Manchester United is never easy. The expectations are huge. The history is heavy. The pressure is constant. Every game feels like a final. Every mistake becomes a headline.

For a young manager, it can be overwhelming. Even experienced coaches have struggled in that environment. Amorim was not the first, and he will not be the last.

Now, the big question is what comes next for him.

Even though he has been quiet, there have already been links to different jobs. Clubs know his quality. They know what he achieved before United. They know that one difficult experience does not define a career.

But for now, it seems he is not in a hurry. The smile on his face in Portugal suggests that he is enjoying this break. Maybe he is taking time to reflect. Maybe he is thinking about what he could do differently in the future. Or maybe he is simply enjoying life away from the game.

That is something many people in football do not get the chance to do.

The image of him playing padel might look simple, but it tells a deeper story. It shows a man who has gone through a difficult period but is finding his way again. It shows the importance of friendship, with Hugo Viana by his side. It shows that even in a world full of pressure, there are still moments of peace.

For fans, it is also a reminder that managers are human. They feel pressure. They feel disappointment. They need time to recover, just like players do.

As the football world continues to move forward, Amorim’s story is still being written. His time at Manchester United may not have gone as planned, but it is only one chapter. There are many more to come.

And when he is ready, when the right opportunity appears, there is a strong chance that he will return. Maybe stronger. Maybe wiser. Maybe with a new perspective.

Until then, he will continue to enjoy moments like this. Under the sun. On a padel court. Smiling again.