Pep Guardiola wears yellow ribbon in defiance of English FA: 'I am a human being, it's about humanity'

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola celebrates after winning the League Cup at Wembley. Guardiola wore a yellow ribbon in support of jailed Catalan independence leaders. Carl Recine / Reuters

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola defiantly wore a yellow ribbon on his suit in support of jailed pro-independence Catalan politicians during his side's 3-0 League Cup final victory over Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

The 47-year-old Spaniard was charged by the English Football Association this week over his continued wearing of the ribbon - the governing body saying it broke their rules on political messages.

Former Barcelona manager Guardiola has until March 5 to answer the charge but made an impassioned defence of his action when asked about it by reporters.

"I accept if I broke the rules, I accept the fine. I am a human being, it's about humanity. There are four guys in prison, plus other guys [in exile] apparently for sedition, but for that you have to have weapons, and we don't have weapons.

"We just have votes in the ballot boxes.

"This is always with me, always will be with me until the last, because it's not about politicians, it's about people who didn't do anything, about democracy."

Many Manchester City fans also wore the yellow ribbons, which were being handed out on the Wembley Way approach to England's national stadium before kick off.

Spain's Supreme Court ordered the arrest of former Catalan member of parliament Anna Gabriel last week after she failed to appear in court to answer charges related to the region's independence campaign.

Former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont fled Spain shortly after Catalonia declared independence in October. He remains in self-imposed exile in Brussels with four members of his previous cabinet.

All face similar charges as Gabriel for their part in the independence push.

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Read more:

• Puigdemont denies he's giving up after phone message leak
• Spain's constitutional court blocks Puigdemont's return to power in Catalonia

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Meanwhile, Guardiola said that midfielder Fernandinho will miss City's upcoming games after sustaining an injury in Sunday's final.

The 32-year-old Brazilian was replaced by Bernardo Silva in the second half at Wembley, and Guardiola said: "He's injured. The next games he'll be out. We'll assess him tomorrow but he's a big, big loss.

"Now we have to find a solution, to find out which players can play in the Fernandinho position. Now we have a problem in that area."

Brazil international Fernandinho has played in every league match this season, scoring three goals in the process.

League leaders City will be eager to extend their 13-point lead when they face off against Arsenal at the Emirates on Thursday followed by a home match against current champions Chelsea.