After the Kenan Memorial Stadium was evacuated 90 minutes before kickoff for a severe weather warning - despite glorious blue skies overhead - Guardiola was first out onto the pitch in Chapel Hill when the all clear was given.
He stayed out for the warm-ups, later taking a seat pitch side in what is a departure from his normal routine before a game.
The manager usually prefers to let his coaches lead the warm-ups, sometimes sitting in the dugouts for a short while before retreating when his players emerge. Here, he watched everything,even the Celtic preparations, and was animated throughout a testing evening for his young squad.
Guardiola said in the build-up that he feels refreshed and excited for the new season. A new tactic was on show, too.
Or a new twist on an old tactic.
Rico Lewis, who declared his ambition to play in midfield this week, was back at full-back inverting inside to accompany Kalvin Phillips.
On the opposite side, Josh WilsonEsbrand did the same, creating a double pivot of full-backs alongside Phillips, who dropped alongside the two young centre-backs on show.
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