By Charles Maduka
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola delivered an emotional three-minute address in support of the people of Palestine during a charity concert held in Barcelona.
Guardiola spoke at the Act x Palestine event at the Palau Sant Jordi on Thursday night, coming a day after Manchester City secured a 2–0 victory over Galatasaray in the Champions League.
The concert marked the finale of the Act x Palestine mobilisation campaign, an initiative promoted by Palestinian human rights groups alongside a coalition of European organisations.
Appearing on stage with a black and white keffiyeh, widely recognised as a symbol of Palestinian identity, Guardiola addressed the audience at the opening of the event.
“Good evening, salam alaikum, how wonderful,” Guardiola told the crowd as he began his remarks.
He went on to reflect on images of children affected by the conflict, saying that seeing videos of children searching for their parents amid rubble left him deeply troubled. He described scenes of children crying out for their mothers and questioned what they must be feeling as they are left alone and abandoned.
Guardiola said he often imagines those children asking why no one has come to help them, adding that even now, the world has failed to respond adequately to their suffering.
During the speech, the Manchester City manager criticised global leaders and those in authority, accusing them of cowardice. He said people in power send innocent young people to kill other innocent people while they themselves remain safe and comfortable.
He urged the audience not to remain passive, stressing that simply showing up and standing together already carries great meaning. Guardiola said the aim of violence is to create silence and force people to look away, and insisted that this must be resisted.
According to him, people must refuse to turn their backs and instead get involved and participate. He said the gathering was a statement of support for Palestine and for all oppressed people, describing it as a stand for humanity as a whole.
Guardiola’s remarks were met with a standing ovation from those in attendance at the concert.
His appearance came on the same day reports emerged that the Israeli military had, for the first time, acknowledged that more than 70,000 Palestinians had been killed during the conflict.
The City manager has previously taken public political positions. In 2018, he was fined £20,000 by the Football Association for wearing a yellow ribbon in support of imprisoned Catalan independence leaders.
He also spoke emotionally about the Gaza war in June 2025 while receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester, saying the conflict caused him deep personal pain.
A separate report by Catalan News noted that the concert featured a diverse lineup of about 30 performers at the Palau Sant Jordi. Artists including Rosalía, Bad Gyal and Amaia drew loud reactions from the audience.
The programme brought together musicians from different genres and generations such as Morad, Oques Grasses, Mushka, Lluís Llach, Fermín Muguruza and Yerai Cortés. International performers, including Mali’s Tinariwen and French singer Zaho de Sagazan, also took part.
Palestinian artists were strongly represented, with performances by Zeyne and Lina Makoul during the event.
After the concert, Guardiola returned to Manchester to prepare for City’s Premier League away fixture against Tottenham. Manchester City are currently four points behind Arsenal in the title race and have already qualified directly for the Champions League last 16, where possible opponents include Benfica, Bodo/Glimt, Inter Milan or Real Madrid.
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