Guardiola denounces disrespect toward Ramadan during Leeds-Manchester City match

– bySaid · 1 min read
Guardiola denounces disrespect toward Ramadan during Leeds-Manchester City match

During the Leeds-Manchester City match, a brief interruption to allow Muslim players to break their fast was met with jeers from the home crowd. Pep Guardiola strongly condemned this disrespect.

The incident occurred after twelve minutes of play at Elland Road, when the referee suspended the match to allow iftar following sunset. In accordance with Premier League regulations, the stadium screens displayed an explanatory message while City players Omar Marmoush, Rayan Cherki and Rayan Aït-Nouri briefly took refreshments on the sidelines.

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This break prompted loud jeers from some Leeds supporters, provoking Pep Guardiola’s anger. At a press conference, the Spanish coach castigated the reaction, reminding everyone that the players had not eaten all day and were simply exercising their right to a league-authorized break for religious reasons.

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Leeds’ staff also expressed their dissatisfaction with their own supporters. Assistant coach Edmund Riemer admitted that some fans had “gone too far” and described the situation as “very disappointing.” The club stressed the need to learn lessons from the incident in order to promote greater tolerance within the stadium.