Guardiola charged by FA for wearing his yellow ribbon

CAIRO – 24 February 2018: Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola has been charged by the FA, the English Football Association, for political reasons. The FA has revealed on Friday that sanctions to City’s coach were for "political messages, especially the yellow ribbon, breaching the advertising regulations of the Association."

The FA is leaving until March 5 for Pep Guardiola to respond to the accusations. The decision came unexpectedly in England, more than four months after the City coach began wearing the yellow ribbon. For now, the club does not want to comment on it.

Last December, after winning the Manchester Derby at Old Trafford on December 10, the Catalan coach assumed the possibility of being sanctioned. "If the Premier or UEFA wants to suspend me for wearing the ribbon, that's fine," he stated.

Who did seem to know something about it was Jose Mourinho. In the previous match against City, the Portuguese questioned the legality of the message, saying, "I think I know how Pep feels about his country. About wearing it in football, I do not know the rules. If the rules permit, he is a free citizen to do it, but I am not sure if the rules allow political messages in the field. It's my only doubt."

The first game in which the coach put on the yellow tie was against West Bromwich on October 28. The Citizens won 2-3, and Pep wore the ribbon during the game and in the subsequent press conference.

The rule only affects showing political messages on the pitch, without reference to not being able to in press conferences. In case of accepting the accusations, the slightest penalty could be an economic fine. The punishment could be greater if Guardiola continues to wear the ribbon in future games.