By Sabiu Abdullahi
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has delivered an emotional speech in support of Palestinian children, calling on world leaders to take action over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Guardiola spoke on Thursday evening at a charity concert in Barcelona, which led to his absence from Manchester City’s usual pre-weekend news conference on Friday. The club later explained that he missed the briefing for personal reasons, with assistant coach Pep Lijnders stepping in to address the media ahead of Sunday’s Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur.
Appearing on stage wearing a keffiyeh scarf, the 55-year-old expressed deep distress over the suffering of children affected by the conflict.
“Good evening, salam alaikum, how wonderful,” Guardiola said at the event.
He went on to describe the scenes that have troubled him over the past two years. “When I see a child in these past two years with these images on social media, on television, recording himself, pleading, ‘where is my mother?’ among the rubble and he still doesn’t know it.”
Guardiola said such images often left him reflecting on the emotional state of the children involved. “And I always think: ‘What must they be thinking?’ And I think we have left them alone, abandoned.”
He added that he imagined the children calling out for help. “I always imagine them saying: ‘Where are you? Come help us.’”
The Manchester City boss criticised global leadership for failing to respond adequately. “And even now, we haven’t done it. Perhaps because those in power are cowards, because they basically send innocent young people to kill innocent people.”
Guardiola urged collective responsibility and action, calling for what he described as a “step forward,” as he said he was making “a statement for Palestine and… a statement for humanity”.
His comments came amid continued tension in Gaza. Although Hamas and Israel agreed to a ceasefire in October, Gaza’s health ministry reports that more than 400 Palestinians have been killed in the months that followed. Israeli media, citing senior military officials, also reported that Israel’s military now accepts that around 70,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began.
Guardiola’s appearance at the Barcelona event took place during the football season, with Manchester City scheduled to return to action on Sunday.