Josep Guardiola has once again expressed his support for the Palestinian people and said he will continue to speak out against Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza to bring about justice and peace.
On Tuesday, Manchester City’s manager used his pre-match press conference for England’s League Cup game against Tottenham Hotspur as an opportunity to highlight the plight of those affected by war around the world, particularly in the Gaza Strip.
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“Never in the history of mankind has information been so clear to us as it is now,” Guardiola told reporters in Manchester, England.
“The genocide in Palestine, what happened in Ukraine, what happened in Russia, what happened in Sudan and all over the world,” he said.
“What happened in front of our eyes? Do we want to see it? That’s our problem as humans. That’s our problem.”
The 55-year-old expressed his feelings about the images coming out of the war-torn area, saying he was deeply hurt.
Guardiola said, “If it had been on the other side, it would have been painful.”
“Do you want to harm another country? It hurts me. Killing thousands of innocent people outright hurts me. It doesn’t get any more complicated than that. No more.”
“When you have an idea and you have to defend it and you have to kill thousands of people? I’m sorry, I stand up. I’ll always be there, always.”
Catalans said the protection of human life was of paramount importance.
“What’s happening now is that with the technology and advancements we have, humanity is better than ever in terms of possibilities. We can get to the moon, we can do everything.”
“And yet, now we’re killing each other. For what? When I see that footage, I’m sorry, it hurts.
“That’s why I’m going to strive and contribute in any capacity where I can help by speaking up to make society better. From my perspective, justice? You have to speak.”
Israel’s genocidal war against Gaza has left at least 71,803 people dead and 171,575 injured since October 2023. On Wednesday, at least 10 people were killed in an Israeli attack, including a 4-year-old girl.
Guardiola has repeatedly expressed his support for the Palestinian people, and this was the second time in five days that he has raised the issue of the Gaza massacre in public comments.
“We left them, we abandoned them,” a keffiyeh-wearing Guardiola said on January 29, condemning the global silence over the suffering of Palestinian children in Gaza during a charity event in Spain.
The Spanish director was visibly moved when asked why he felt it was necessary to speak about Palestine at the event.
Guardiola said last year that images of children killed during Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza were “very disturbing”.
He is one of the few prominent sports directors who has repeatedly spoken out for Palestinians.
“No society is perfect. Nowhere is perfect. I’m not perfect either. We must strive to be better.”
“I have a lot of friends in a lot of countries. I have a lot of friends. When I have an idea and I have to defend it and I have to kill thousands of people, I’m sorry, I stand up. I’m always there, always.”
Guardiola also cited two fatal shootings of American citizens by federal law enforcement officers, which he said have led to widespread backlash against President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
“Look at what happened in the US, Renee Goode and Alex Preti were killed,” Guardiola said, asking what would happen if a nurse like Preti was shot in such a situation in the UK.
“Imagine (someone) in the NHS, with five or six people around him, go out on the grass,” and get shot.
“Please tell me how I can defend that.”
