Pep Guardiola set to attend Brasileirao clash alongside City Group CEO Ferran Soriano amid USMNT links to replace Man Utd bound Mauricio Pochettino

Former Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is set to attend Bahia's Brasileirao clash against Coritiba on November 21 alongside City Football Group chief Ferran Soriano. The South American trip comes as the Catalan tactician is heavily linked with replacing Manchester United-bound Mauricio Pochettino as head coach of the United States.

According to ESPN Brasil, Guardiola and Soriano will first travel to Sao Paulo for a corporate engagement on November 18 before visiting Salvador three days later. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss currently serves as a global ambassador for the parent organisation following his decade-long Etihad Stadium reign that ended in May 2026. Their trip culminates at the 48,902-capacity Arena Fonte Nova for the round-36 encounter.

The Brazilian outfit officially joined the global football conglomerate in May 2023 when the group acquired a 90 per cent stake in the club's sports limited company. That investment placed the Salvador side alongside sister teams including Spanish outfit Girona, Major League Soccer's New York City FC, Uruguayan club Montevideo City Torque and the English heavyweights.

On the pitch, the hosts are enjoying a strong domestic campaign as they battle to secure continental qualification during the final four rounds of the Serie A season. Having collected 53 points across 34 matches so far, they currently occupy sixth place in the standings to hold the final berth for the Copa Libertadores preliminary round.

While fulfilling his ambassadorial duties during a coaching sabbatical, the Spaniard has emerged as the primary target to take charge of the United States men's national team. According to The Athletic, US Soccer officials plan to pursue the decorated tactician once Pochettino finalises his expected switch to Old Trafford in the wake of Michael Carrick's recent sacking.

The report states that the former midfielder's name has featured prominently across multiple levels of the federation's succession planning, with chiefs having previously contacted him in 2024 prior to appointing the Argentine. Pochettino is expected to oversee his side's upcoming CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final ties against Haiti before completing a Premier League return that involves a reported $10 million buyout clause.

Watching from the stands in Salvador next weekend, Guardiola will see Bahia attempt to strengthen their grip on a top-six finish against visiting Coritiba. Securing three points at home is vital for the hosts to stay three clear of seventh-placed Atletico Mineiro while trailing fifth-placed Athletico Paranaense by just one point. Meanwhile, once Pochettino concludes his duties against Haiti, US Soccer's formal pursuit of the Catalan should gather pace.