Manchester Jewish leaders tell Guardiola stick to football

• Jewish community leaders in Manchester said Manchester City have been “let down” by Pep Guardiola “repeatedly straying into commentary on international affairs”.
• The Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester & Region said it has “implored” Guardiola to be “more careful with his language” amid rising anti Semitism.
• Guardiola said he wants to “speak up” and described the “hurt” he feels for victims of global conflict, while Manchester City declined to comment.

Manchester City have been “let down” by manager Pep Guardiola “repeatedly straying into commentary on international affairs”, Jewish community leaders have said.

The Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester & Region issued a statement after Guardiola said he wanted to use his position to “speak up”, and spoke about the “hurt” he feels for victims of global conflict.

The group also referred to a speech Guardiola gave in support of Palestinian children at a charity event in Barcelona last week. It said he should “focus on football”.

Manchester City declined to comment.

“We have repeatedly asked for prominent individuals to be mindful about the words they use given how Jewish people have had to endure attacks across the globe,” a statement posted on X read.

“Pep Guardiola is a football manager. Whilst his humanitarian reflections may be well intentioned, he should focus on football.

“Manchester City is being let down by him repeatedly straying into commentary on international affairs.”

The statement also referenced last October’s attack on the Heaton Park Synagogue, in which two people were killed.

“It’s especially galling given his total failure to use his significant platform to display any solidarity with the Jewish community subjected to a terrorist attack a few miles from the Etihad Stadium or the Barcelona community reeling from anti-Semitic violence close to where he once engaged in remarks we believe to be provocative.

“We implore Mr Guardiola to be more careful in his future language given the significant risk faced by our community.”

At a football news conference on Tuesday, Guardiola spoke about “thousands of innocent people” being killed and injured across the world, and referenced Palestine, Ukraine, Sudan, and recent shootings by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the United States.

“If it was the opposite side, it would hurt me. Wanting harm for another country? It hurts me. [To] completely kill thousands of innocent people, it hurts me. It’s no more complicated than that. No more,” he said.

“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.”