Pep Guardiola ‘not optimistic’ about improving the problem of racism in Spain | Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola doesn’t hope the racism situation in Spain will improve after Vinícius Júnior was abused during Real Madrid’s game at Valencia.

Vinícius threatened to walk off the pitch after being targeted with monkey chants. Valencia were handed a partial five-match stadium ban, fined €45,000 (£39,000) and three people were arrested in connection with the incident. Four others have been arrested in connection with an effigy of the striker hanging from a bridge in the Spanish capital this year.

Guardiola, asked if La Liga should learn from the Premier League, replied: “They should. Here they are so strict (about anti-racism). They know what they have to do. It’s a problem everywhere – thinking that we are better than our neighbors, we are better than the other.

“The problem is that there is racism everywhere. Not just for sex but for color. Believing that our language is better than the other, our country is better than the other. We have to accept diversity as a human being – but at the moment we are far from it. I hope we can improve in Spain, but I’m not optimistic.

“There are a lot of black people coming forward to defend what they shouldn’t (have to) defend.”

City visit Brentford on their last Premier League game before the FA Cup final against Manchester United and the Champions League final against Internazionale a week later in Istanbul. Guardiola gave his players two days off at the start of next week.

“In my experience, the best way to play a final is to be as disconnected as possible,” he said. “Go with your families, if the sun is shining, play golf, do whatever you want to prepare for the finals. You have to train (a little) but do exactly what it takes to arrive in the best conditions for the final.