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MANCHESTER -- Pep Guardiola has made an impassioned plea to "protect human life" in an emotional news conference address during which the Manchester City head coach expressed concern about the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
Speaking on Tuesday ahead of City's Carabao Cup semifinal second leg, Guardiola highlighted a number of tragedies across the world including loss of life in Palestine, Ukraine and Sudan.
In part of the monologue, the 55-year-old expressed his sadness at the fatal shootings of Good and Pretti by U.S. federal agents during immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota which have prompted protests across the United States.
Guardiola's comments come five months before the U.S. is due to host the FIFA World Cup along with Mexico and Canada.
"Look what happened in the United States of America, Renee Good and Alex Pretti have been killed," Guardiola said.
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"A nurse, NHS [the UK health service]. Imagine the NHS. Five, six people around him, go on the grass and 10 shots," Guardiola added, referencing Pretti who was an intensive care nurse at a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital
"Tell me how you can defend that?
"There is not a perfect society, nowhere is perfect, I am not perfect, we have to work to be better. Who can defend that? I don't know. I will always be in front of that."
Guardiola's speech, which started in response to a question about refereeing decisions, comes days after he appeared at a rally in Barcelona in support of Palestinian children.
The City manager spoke at the event on Thursday night and was not available for a scheduled news conference in Manchester on Friday.
His assistant, Pep Lijnders, took over media duties ahead of the game against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
"Protecting the human being and human life is the only thing we have," Guardiola said.
Pep Guardiola's Manchester City are bidding to win their ninth Premier League title. Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images
"Not just in these parts of the world but every part of the world.
"What is happening right now, with the technologies and advances that we have, humanity is better than ever in terms of possibilities.
"We can reach the moon, we can do everything. But still right now, we kill each other, for what? For what?
"When I see the images, I am sorry it hurts. It hurts me, that is why in every position I can help [by] speaking up to be a better society, I will try and will be there."