Speaking ahead of City’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Newcastle on Wednesday, Guardiola challenged the media and the public to not look away from the images of suffering. His comments are particularly notable given Manchester City’s ownership by Sheikh Mansour, the Vice President of the UAE-a nation that has faced UN scrutiny over its reported backing of the RSF paramilitary group in the Sudanese civil war.
Guardiola, who recently spoke at a charity event in Barcelona to protect children in Palestine, refused to stick to footballing matters when asked about his advocacy. He emphasized that the "militarization" of global society and the death of innocents is a collective human failure.
On Sudan & Palestine: Guardiola explicitly named Sudan, where a civil war has claimed over 150,000 lives, alongside Palestine and Ukraine.
On rescue at sea: Addressing the migrant crisis in the English Channel, where nearly 1,000 people crossed in small boats this January, he was blunt: "Don't ask if he is right or wrong, rescue him. Protecting the human being is the only thing we have."
On US immigration: He referenced the recent fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE officers in Minneapolis, questioning how such actions can be defended in a modern society.
Never in the history of humanity have we had the info in front of our eyes more clearly than now. The genocide in Palestine, what happened in Ukraine... what happened in Sudan, everywhere. What happened in front of us? It’s our problem as human beings.Pep Guardiola
Guardiola also noted that this was the first time in his decade-long tenure that a journalist had asked him why these humanitarian issues matter so much to him. He admitted that the daily images of parents and children having their lives destroyed "hurts" him deeply.
Transparency: He argued that modern technology leaves us with no excuse to claim ignorance of war crimes.
Justice: He believes people in high-profile positions must speak up to prevent society from simply "moving on" from atrocities.
Self-reflection: He acknowledged that while no society is perfect, just like he himself isn't, humanity must work to be better for the sake of the next generation.