Pafos manager bizarrely quizzed on former team-mate David Beckham’s public row with son Brooklyn after Champions League defeat to Chelsea

It is standard procedure for managers to face difficult questions after a European defeat, but few could have predicted the curveball thrown at Celades on Wednesday night. Having just watched his Cypriot side produce a spirited display against Premier League giants Chelsea, the former Real Madrid midfielder was expecting inquiries about tactics or the performance of his players.

Instead, the press conference took a surreal detour when a reporter attempted to draw a link between Celades’ playing career and current celebrity gossip. "You obviously played for some time with David Beckham at Real Madrid, have you been following his saga? And what are your thoughts on it?" the journalist asked.

A clearly confused Celades broke into a smile before responding with a question of his own: "What is this saga?" The manager appeared completely unaware of the off-field drama that has dominated the headlines in the UK this week.

The "saga" referenced relates to the explosive public falling out between Beckham and his eldest son, Brooklyn. Earlier this week, Brooklyn published a blistering six-page statement on Instagram, launching a stunning attack on his parents, David and Victoria.

In the social media post, Brooklyn accused his parents of controlling narratives about his life, undermining his marriage to Nicola Peltz, and even alleged that his brothers were being "sent to attack him on social media." The family dispute has generated widespread comment, but few expected it to filter into the post-match analysis of a Champions League group stage match involving a team from Cyprus.

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Realising the bizarre nature of the line of questioning, the Pafos press officer quickly stepped in to shut it down. "Don't answer this question, I think the question is not relevant to Pafos FC. I am sorry," the officer stated firmly.

However, Celades, ever the gentleman, decided to answer the part of the question he understood. "I don't understand the last word, but we played together, yes," he said. When the reporter suggested it was "probably wise" not to answer the rest, Celades insisted on paying tribute to his former colleague.

"No, but I have a good memory of him, because we spent time together," Celades replied, referencing their time as team-mates at the Bernabeu between 2003 and 2005. "He was an amazing professional and a very good player of course."

Before the bizarre exchange, matters on the pitch had been the primary focus. Pafos FC, competing in the Champions League for the first time, gave a credible account of themselves against Liam Rosenior's side.

Despite the vast gap in resources, the visitors restricted Chelsea for long periods. However, they were eventually undone by a solitary goal, with the competition debutants losing narrowly 1-0. While the result leaves them empty-handed, the performance earned Celades plenty of credit - even if his knowledge of the Beckham family drama was somewhat lacking.