Manchester City manager Guardiola speaks out on tragedies around world

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.

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.”