Pep Guardiola comments on Sir Jim Ratcliffe immigration comments

Manchester United’s co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has caused waves across English football with his recent comments on immigration, and now Pep Guardiola has weighed in.

The Manchester City manager was asked for his thoughts on Ratcliffe’s claim that the UK had been “colonised by immigrants,” a statement Ratcliffe later apologised for, saying he didn’t intend to offend but insisted “open debate” was still necessary.

Pep Guardiola, speaking ahead of City’s FA Cup fourth-round clash against Salford, took a broader view on migration.

“Everybody wants to have a better life.

“Every person wants to have a perspective to have a better future for themselves, for their families or their friends.

“Sometimes opportunities come in the place that you were born and the place that you go,” Guardiola said.

“That is why the place you were born doesn’t make a difference.

“Most people run away from their countries for the problems that are in their country, not because they want to leave.

“The more we embrace other cultures, truly embrace it, then we will have a better society, I do not have any doubts about that.”

The 55-year-old Spaniard, who was born in Santpedor in Catalonia and has played and managed in Spain, Italy, Qatar, Mexico, Germany, and England, expanded on the global nature of the issue.

“It is a problem all around the world,” he said.

“We treat immigrants or people that come from other countries like they are the ones causing problems for our country.

“It’s a big problem because the fact I am Catalan and you are British? What influence did we have on where we were born? Everyone wants to have a better life, everyone wants to have a better future for themselves and their families.

“Sometimes the opportunities are where you are born and sometimes it is in the place where you go.

“The colour of your skin or the place where you were born don’t make a difference.”

Guardiola’s remarks come as tensions around Ratcliffe’s comments continue to resonate, particularly in the Premier League, where clubs increasingly rely on international talent.