Pep Guardiola turns political activist to give passionate pro-Palestine speech while wearing a keffiyeh in Barcelona on his day off from work at Man City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola gave a speech supporting Palestinian children at a charity concert in Barcelona on Thursday evening.

Guardiola spoke of his pain at seeing children suffering and called for action as he took to the stage at the Act x Palestine concert at the Palau Sant Jordi sports arena.

Just a day after leading City to a 2-0 win over Galatasaray in the Champions League, the 55-year-old sported a white and black Palestinian keffiyeh and imparted his thoughts. 

‘Good evening, salam alaikum, how wonderful,’ he began. 

‘Let me say two things. I think what we think 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.

‘And I always think: “what must they be thinking?” And I think we have left them alone, abandoned. I always imagine them saying “where are you? Come help us.”

The Manchester City boss called on people to have solidarity with those who are suffering

‘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.

‘That is what cowards do. Because they are in their homes, with heating when it’s cold and air conditioning when it’s hot.

‘We must take a step forward. Simply being present alone means so much – so very, very much. What bombs cause – and what they want to cause – is silence, and for us to look the other way.

‘That is their only goal: that we do not take a step forward. And this is what we must resist. We must simply not look the other way; we must get involved and participate.

‘We stand before the world to show that, naturally, we are on the side of the weaker – who in this case is Palestine. But not Palestine alone; all causes. This is a statement for Palestine, and it is a statement for humanity.’

The charity concert, which welcomed about 12,000 guests, included performances from the likes of Spanish popstar Rosalia. 

All the money raised will be directed towards Palestinian cultural initiatives, such as the Palestinian Performing Arts Network, rather than direct aid for those suffering. 

This is not the first time Guardiola has lent his support to the Palestinian cause.

Just a day before, Guardiola had been managing Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium

In November, he called on fans to come out in force for a charity match between Palestine and Catalonia. 

‘It is more than just a game; it is a cry of solidarity and a tribute to more than 400 athletes who were martyred in Gaza,’ he said.

He added in an interview with RAC1: ‘The world has abandoned Palestine. We have done absolutely nothing. They are not to blame for having been born there. We have all allowed an entire people to be destroyed. The damage is done and it is irreparable.

‘I can’t imagine a single person in this world who could defend the massacres in Gaza. Our children could be there and be killed simply for being born. I have very little faith in world leaders. They’ll do anything to stay in power.’

This week, the Israeli military reportedly accepted that the death toll in Gaza had exceeded 70,000, a figure initially reported by the Hamas-run health ministry. 

Guardiola has also previously spoken out in favour of Catalan independence.