Pep Guardiola defends Muslim players after unpleasant incident in Premier League match
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
The Premier League Matchday 28 clash between Manchester City and Leeds was marred by an unpleasant incident. During the game, play was briefly halted, as per regulations, to allow players observing the holy month of Ramadan to break their fast (iftar) after sunset. However, some fans in the stands greeted this pause with disapproving boos and whistles, prompting a strong response from the Citizens' head coach.
Details: At the post-match press conference, Pep Guardiola called for tolerance and respect for cultural differences in modern football. During the incident, an official message was displayed on the stadium scoreboard:
“As today’s match takes place during the holy period of Ramadan, play was paused briefly to allow players to break their fast.”
Pep emphasized that such pauses have become standard practice in many European leagues to help athletes replenish their energy.
Guardiola’s words resonated as a manifesto of inclusivity:
“This is the modern world, right? You know what happened again in the world today? Respect religion, respect diversity. That’s what it’s all about.”
The coach made it clear that football cannot exist in isolation from society and must serve as a platform for mutual respect, not intolerance.
It’s worth noting that the match itself ended with a narrow 1-0 victory for Manchester City.
Reminder: Real Madrid is preparing a sensational transfer. Manchester City midfielder Rodri could return to Spain for 50 million euros.
