Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is 'not optimistic' that the racism row engulfing Spanish football will have a positive ending, as he offered his support to Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr.
Vinicius accused La Liga and Spanish society in general of allowing racism, after he was sent off in a recent game at Valencia. The Brazilian had suffered racist abuse from the stands, and reacted by lashing out at an opponent. Earlier in the match he had tried to bring some of Valencia's fans to the referee's attention. In the aftermath, he said that La Liga has failed to deal with other racist incidents, and took aim at the league's president Javier Tebas.
Hitting back, Tebas defended his organisation and insisted Spain was not a racist country. Vinicius has received plenty of support from around the world, and Guardiola was asked about whether La Liga can learn from the Premier League in taking a firmer stance on racism.
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“They should [learn from the Premier League]. Here they are so strict," Guardiola said. “They know what they have to do. Of course racism is a problem everywhere, not just in one specific place - everywhere we have [people] thinking we are better than our neighbours, we are better than the other one.
“For all generations everywhere. Our ancestors come from migrants, come from wars, come from dictatorships you have to move from other countries. Build families there and come back to where you're born.
“The problem is that there is racism everywhere. Not just for gender but for colour, for attitudes. We believe that our language is better than the other one, our country is better than the other one."
Turning to the subject of society improving in Spain in light of the Vinicius row, Guardiola admitted he is not optimistic of his home country learning.
He said: “As much as you travel in other countries, you realise we are the same, with the same fears, with the same good things. We need to accept the diversity as a strength, like a human being - and still right now, we are far away from that. Hopefully it can be one step to getting better in Spain but I’m not optimistic. I know a little bit the country and I’m not really optimistic
“There are a lot of black people stepping forward to defend what they should not (have to) defend. Hopefully justice can help to do it but in the same time is it going to change anything in Spain?"
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