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Friday, 29 March 2024

No reason to play soccer without fans - Guardiola

Duration: 01:03s 0 shares 3 views

No reason to play soccer without fans - Guardiola
No reason to play soccer without fans - Guardiola

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes soccer matches in England will soon have to be played in empty stadiums because of the coronavirus outbreak, but he would prefer the games to be postponed.

SHOWS: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MARCH 10, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER, PEP GUARDIOLA, SAYING: "Well, we are, I am, we are conscious because it's happened already in Italy like it's the league is suspended, in Spain it starts the next two-three weeks behind closed doors and I think it's going to happen here because the tendency here rise in the same level like Italy before and in Spain right now.

The other issue is you have to ask if it's worse to play football without the spectators.

So we are the reason why we do our job for the people.

If the people cannot come to watch the games there is no sense.

I would not love to play football games in the Champions League or in the Premier League or the cups or whatever without the people.

So what we're going to follow the instructions from the government.

I think everybody all around the world is involved with that and just follow what they have to do and follow the instructions." STORY: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes soccer matches in England will soon have to be played in empty stadiums because of the coronavirus outbreak, but he would prefer the games to be postponed.

Guardiola was speaking on Tuesday (March 10) before the announcement that his team's match against Arsenal was postponed because players from the London club have had contact with the owner of Greek side Olympiakos, who has contracted the coronavirus.

Fans across Europe have been barred from attending matches and Guardiola said it was only a matter of time before games in England were affected.

"It happens already in Italy, the league is suspended and in Spain the games behind closed doors," Guardiola told a news conference on Tuesday.

"I think it's going to happen here.

"We have to ask if it works to play football without spectators.

If the people do not come to watch the games there is no sense, I wouldn't like to play in the Champions League, Premier League, cups, without people." The Spaniard said City would follow instructions from the authorities.

"We are here for the people.

One games, two games, maybe, but not longer," he said.

"We do it for the people.

I would not love to play without people in the stadium."

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