Guardiola, the manager of Premier League club Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola faces backlash over pro-Palestinian stance
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Tensions have risen between Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Jewish community leaders in the UK following his recent support for the Palestinian people.
The Greater Manchester Jewish Representative Council issued a strong statement condemning Guardiola for “provocative” comments, urging him to focus on football rather than political issues.
The council said his remarks increase risks for the Jewish community and criticized what it called his “total failure” to show solidarity with the Jewish community.
“Genocide in Gaza”
Guardiola had defended his stance during a press conference ahead of Manchester City’s match against Newcastle United, calling the events in Gaza “genocide in front of our eyes” and framing it as a humanitarian concern for all humanity. He also criticized political leaders as “cowards” for failing to stop the violence, stressing that he will always speak out against the killing of civilians.
The dispute comes at a sensitive time for the club, with rising calls to separate sports from politics. Guardiola maintains that his platform carries a responsibility to highlight humanitarian issues.
