Pep Guardiola has been emphatic in comments on the situation Catalonia is experiencing after the imprisonment of Raül Romeva, Carme Forcadell, Dolors Bassa, Jordi Turull and Josep Rull and Carles Puigdemont being taken into custody by German police.
The Manchester City coach hasn't bitten his tongue when it comes to denouncing reports trying to manipulate the narrative and distort the independence process with false accusations of violence. "I'm like everyone who doesn't wish harm on the others nor their families. Everything we've done, six million people, taking to the streets over these years, we've done it peacefully... or more than that. When they say that we're generators of violence they're clearly wrong. I believe it's a grave injustice that they should compare us with kale borroka1 or ETA", said Guardiola. "It's very simple: look at what happened on 1st October. Photographs don't lie, the videos don't lie, and there are lots of them."
The coach went on to dispel more lies. "All the messages, from president Puigdemont, vice-president Junqueras, the president of the ANC [Jordi Sànchez], the president of Òmnium [Jordi Cuixart]... Everyone has spoken through pacifism and through a vote at the ballot boxes. For that reason it's very unjust", said the former Barça coach before remarking that "you might not agree with me, but there are photos and images".
Guardiola's statement came during the press conference before Manchester City and Everton's match this Saturday. City is already starting to do its sums, thinking about winning the Premier League, with a margin of 16 points over second-placed Manchester United, with 8 matches left.
Translator's note:
[1] Kale borroka are violent street actions carried out by Basque nationalists.