MANCHESTER – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola turned a soccer news conference on Tuesday into a passionate address on the “hurt” he is feeling at seeing humanitarian tragedies around the world.
Guardiola did not return to England in time for his regular pre-match media duties in the lead-up to City's Premier League game at Tottenham on Sunday, after giving a speech in support of Palestinian children at a charity event in his home city of Barcelona.
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On Tuesday, he was back in front of reporters and spoke on matters outside of soccer once again, despite the news conference ostensibly being a preview to the English League Cup match against Newcastle on Wednesday.
“Never, ever in the history of humanity have we had the info in front of our eyes, watching more clearly than now," he said, referring to what he described as “genocide in Palestine, what happened in Ukraine, what happened in Russia, what happened all around the world, in Sudan, everywhere.
"There is someone who sees the images of what happens from all around the world, the wars around the world, who is not affected? Here it’s not a question about right or wrong — maybe a politician is left wing, right wing, of course . . . but there is someone here that is not affected by what happens every single day? Today we can see it. Before we could not see it. Today we see it. It hurts me."
Guardiola continued: “If it was the opposite side, it would hurt me. Wanting harm for another country? It hurts me . . . completely kill thousands of innocent people, it hurts me. It’s no more complicated than that. No more.
“I have a lot of friends in many, many countries. A lot of friends. When you have an idea and you need to defend (it) and you have to kill thousands, thousands of people, I’m sorry, I will stand up. Always I will be there, always.”
The 55-year-old Guardiola said “protecting the human being and human life is the only thing we have" and added his stance was not about politics or taking sides.
“The people who have to do that, run away from their countries, go in the sea and then go on a boat to get rescued. Don’t ask if he is right or wrong, rescue him. It is about a human being," he said.
“After we can agree (or) criticize . . . but when people (are) dying, you have to help."
Guardiola said he will always use his status as a leading figure in sports to “help (by) speaking up to be a better society.”
“I will try, I will be there. All the time,” he said. “From my point of view, the justice? You have to talk. Otherwise it will just move on."
Guardiola also remarked on the two fatal shootings by federal law enforcement officials of U.S. citizens which have sparked a broad backlash against President Donald Trump's crackdown on undocumented migrants.
“Look what happened in the United States of America, Renee Good and Alex Pretti have been killed,” said Guardiola, who asked what would happen if a nurse like Pretti was shot in Britain in those circumstances.
“Imagine (someone from) the NHS (National Health Service) — five, six people around him, go on the grass" and was shot.
"Tell me how you can defend that?”
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer