Article by Romeo Ene – Published Friday, February 13, 2026, 9:52 p.m. / Updated Friday, February 13, 2026, 9:52 p.m.
At the center of several topics outside of football, Guardiola commented on Ratcliffe's position on immigration.
In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, the 73-year-old businessman claimed the UK had been “colonized” by immigrants, using inaccurate demographics. Ratcliffe later apologized for any offense caused.
Pep Guardiola's stance on immigration: “We have a problem after that”
In his press conference ahead of the FA Cup tie with Salford City, Guardiola avoided a direct answer but spoke at length on the subject.
“I have enormous respect for Sir Jim. I was lucky enough to know him. He made a statement and then apologised. I will not comment on what he said, because after that we have a problem all over the world, in all countries“, said the coach of Manchester City, quoted by abola.pt.
Guardiola explained that the way immigrants are treated is a major problem for modern societies.
“The way we treat immigrants and people coming from other countries is a real problem. I'm Catalan, you're British. Our influence comes from our parents, from where we were born.
Everyone wants a better life, a better future for the family. Sometimes opportunities arise in a place other than where you were born. In the past it was hard to travel, today you can be anywhere in an hourGuardiola said.
The technician emphasized that the place of birth does not define the worth of a man and referred to his path.
“Where you are born does not make you better or worse. My education, my travels, my experiences in Mexico, Qatar, Italy, England or Germany have built me as a person. I have met extraordinary people.
Most people who leave their countries do so because of the problems there, not because they want to leave. The more we accept other cultures, the better our society will be,” concluded Pep Guardiola.
If you really want to solve the major problems of immigration, of people taking welfare instead of working for a living, you're going to have to do unpopular things and show courage.
You can't have an economy with nine million people on welfare and a huge level of immigrants coming in. That is, the United Kingdom was colonized. It costs too much money.
– part from the statements of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the boss of Manchester United
