Pep backs Ster stand
PEP GUARDIOLA says Raheem Sterling is right to use his profile to tackle racism.
The Manchester City star hit out at what he believes is the negative portrayal of young black players in the media.
Sterling reacted after receiving racial abuse from the crowd at Stamford Bridge earlier this month.
And City boss Guardiola reckons Sterling has every right to take a stand.
He said: “People say, ‘No, no, people in sport cannot do anything, cannot speak about politicians, cannot do some justice’. Of course we have to do. If he believes in doing that, that’s a good thing.
“Many people do these things and other people don’t notice, but they do it.
“But I’m pretty sure they do it because they feel better. It’s nice, I like it. These kind of things are always going to come back in his private life, his own life, with the family in a positive way.
“When Raheem does this kind of gesture it’s because it’s going to help the people.”
Guardiola’s side host Crystal Palace today bidding to keep the pressure on in the title fight with Liverpool.
But the City boss brushed off suggestions from Reds manager Jurgen Klopp that his side had “no signs of weakness”, dismissing them as mind games ahead of their showdown on January 3.
He said: “Of course any team has strong points and weak points and of course we have weaknesses.
“We are working on it, but that’s normal. These kind of comments have to be put in perspective.”
Quad
City’s march to the Carabao Cup semifinals this week means they are fighting on four fronts.
Guardiola says he has a squad that can win the quad, adding: “It’s another competition, I know that, but for that competition everybody is involved. I think the last month more or less everybody plays and plays a lot of minutes.
“For me it’s the only way to sustain the locker room, and to keep people fresh mentally and physically.”
With a further 10 matches between now and the end of next month, City’s squad will be stretched and tested.
Guardiola added: “It’s important for me and my staff, to see the players in different positions but also to rotate. We needed to do that. If we don’t, then in February we will die.
“Until the end of January, it’s incredible the amount of games we have.
“We try to arrive in February in the competitions. After that, we see what happens in the important games. Are we in or are we out? We’re going to see.”