Pep Guardiola delivered an important message about global conflicts this week, saying the suffering in places including Palestine, Sudan, Russia and Ukraine “hurts” him and that he will continue to use his platform to speak out.
The Manchester City manager made the remarks during a pre-match press conference on Wednesday, a few days after attending a charity event supporting Palestinian children. He said modern technology makes it impossible to ignore wars and humanitarian crises happening around the world.
Guardiola referenced several conflicts directly, telling reporters: “The genocide in Palestine… what happened in Ukraine… in Russia… in Sudan, everywhere.”
He added that the violence across multiple regions is a shared human concern: “It’s our problems as human beings.”
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
The City boss said that his comments were rooted in humanitarian concern rather than politics, saying images of suffering civilians affect him deeply. “When I see the images, I am sorry, it hurts,” he explained.
Guardiola also pointed to the fact that his reaction would be the same regardless of which side is suffering. “If it was the opposite side, it would hurt me.”
In one of his strongest lines, he condemned the killing of civilians in wars around the world: “To completely kill thousands of innocent people, it hurts me.”
The 55-year-old said he intends to keep speaking publicly when he feels human life is being lost unnecessarily. “In every position I can help… I will try and will be there.”
Guardiola’s words went viral almost instantly, sparking a massive debate. While a lot of people admired him for speaking out on humanitarian issues, others felt he should just stick to football and stay out of what they qualify as “politics.”
But the City manager made clear he does not intend to stay silent. “It’s our problem as human beings.”
Read also: Pep Guardiola Speaks Out on Gaza at Barcelona Charity Event
