Raheem Sterling: Pep Guardiola hails 'incredible human being' but says racism is 'everywhere'

Guardiola said that the media has a responsibility to portray young black players without prejudice

Pep Guardiola has claimed that racism is “everywhere”, not just in football, and that the media has a responsibility to portray young black players without prejudice.

The Manchester City manager described his player Raheem Sterling as an ‘incredible human being’ after the winger suffered alleged racial abuse while playing against Chelsea on Saturday.

Chelsea have suspended four supporters and assisting a police investigation into the incident, which occurred during the first half of City’s 2-0 defeat.

Sterling said in response to the incident that he expected “no better” and that newspapers help to ‘fuel racism’ against young black players.

Guardiola echoed those sentiments on Tuesday, claiming racism pervades modern society and must be stamped out.

“It’s everywhere. That’s the problem, racism is everywhere. People focus on football but it’s not just in football. You think in football we’d be safe but racism is everywhere.

“What happens today, with immigrants and refugees around the world, how we treat them when once in our lives we were refugees, our grandfathers, our great-grandfathers and mothers were refugees.

“How we treat them in society – unfortunately, it’s everywhere. That’s why we have to fight every day.

“I appreciate what Chelsea did. If it happened in my club we should do the same. We have to fight for human rights to make a better society for the future.

“Today it’s dangerous, not just in England, but everywhere, absolutely everywhere, all across Europe. The message for the politicians is for them to be really tough on human rights and we have to defend democracy in the best way.

“He’s an incredible person, Raheem is an incredible, incredible human being. It’s tough to understand today what happened years ago about the position in all history of the black people.

“You have to protect them, you have to protect how equal we are, all together. It’s tough in the 21st century to still be in this position, to have problems with diversity, a power position, but help us to be better.

“That’s why sport is amazing. You live with different people. My kids go to the school with Indian people, black people, normal people, from everywhere. Today this kind of thing happens but we have to defend and protect.”

When asked why he believed Sterling has been unfairly targeted, Guardiola said: “I don’t know. I spoke with him when I arrived, he was active on social media and Instagram and I told him to protect his private life, and he did it.

“He’s less active, he’s more mature, I don’t know the reason why. Hopefully the criticism is when he plays s***, he plays bad. Everyone is exposed to that, everyone around the world – but just for the colour of his skin? Believe me, that’s ridiculous and we have to protect from that situation.”

Guardiola reiterated Sterling’s point that those in the media have a responsibility to write and report without prejudice.

“Of course [there is a responsibility]. The media, of course. Everyone and everywhere. The media can write something and offend, create a conflict. The real power is the media, not politicians, that’s why you have the responsibility.”