Man City manager Pep Guardiola defends Oleksandr Zinchenko after player’s stance to carry on playing gets criticism by a minority.
The 25 year old full-back has been affected by the invasion of his homeland, but will be available for selection if required against Everton on Saturday.
Oleksandr Zinchenko was among the crowd at the vigil in Manchester city centre, standing at the Central Library which was lit up in the blue and yellow colours of the Ukrainian flag in solidarity.
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Guardiola said of Zinchenko: “He is worried. He has family and friends there. If they are killing innocent people in your country, how would you feel?
“What we feel with our country where we were born. I guess that’s how he feels. The team and the club are close to him, unconditionally.”
On whether he is ready to face Everton, Guardiola added: “He’s not in a really good place at the moment. We’ll certainly help him. It’s a really difficult time for him and his family and we respect that.”
He continued: What happened in Yugoslavia, no-one did anything. Around the world, many wars, it’s a pity. Innocent people will die when they just want to live in peace. All around the world you want a house, to sleep well, food on the table, movies, food, someone to love…
“When you are not involved, they attack your country and it should be complicated to arrive at this point. Always innocent people pay the terrible price, the decisions of one or two people. Still we don’t learn what happened in the past…”
“Right now in Syria, many places. At the end the strong part always kill the weak one.”
Everton boss Frank Lampard also spoke out about Toffee’s Ukraine international, Vitalii Mykolenko ahead of the Man City clash.
“He’s okay,” said Lampard. “I’ve spoken to him, the club have spoken to him. He has every bit of support from our end, if and when he needs it. He knows that support mechanism is there. It’s ultra-important that he feels that from us.”
Pep says he and Man City are supporting Oleksandr Zinchenko with Ukraine under military attack from Russia.
(via @footballdaily)pic.twitter.com/mZc2HV4Lh6
β B/R Football (@brfootball) February 25, 2022
On the same morning of Zinchenko going to the vigil, the Premier League player wrote he hoped Putin would experience the “most painful suffering death” in an Instagram post he claims the social media site deleted.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the left-back uploaded an emotional Instagram post in response to the inevitable invasion that followed.
The post read: “I can’t stay back and strive to put my point across. In the photo – my country. The country where I was born and raised.
“A country whose colours I defend in the international sports arena. A country that we try to glorify and develop.
“A country whose borders must remain inviolable. My country belongs to Ukrainians and no one will ever be able to appropriate it. We will not give up! Glory to Ukraine.”
West Ham have granted Ukrainian winger Andriy Yarmolenko compassionate leave so he will miss the visit of Wolves.
Yarmolenko was born in Russia to Ukrainian parents, who moved back to their homeland when he was a child.
“He’s not in a very good position at the moment – we’ve given him a few days off,” said Hammers boss David Moyes.
“I spoke with him yesterday and he was upset, which you can imagine. We just hope his family keep safe.”
Twitter users reacted as Pep Guardiola defends Zinchenko after the player’s stance gets criticism…
With you Zin ππ pic.twitter.com/zmZo2TXLFn
β πππ©π¨π₯π¨π π² π§ (@PepoIogy) February 25, 2022
I stand with Zinchenko pic.twitter.com/nCPM1tpKuS
β Β³β° (@CFCMid) February 25, 2022
πππΊπ¦. pic.twitter.com/cA1JXhE09x
β β|πͺπΈR16π°πΌ (@R16mci) February 25, 2022
@eLliotMCFC12: Pep defending zinny I love this man
@mcfc_tee: Tell em pep
@Siphe_Sihle1: Simple as that, gotta feel for him
@jxealxx: Gotta show him some support surely at the Everton game. Hope everyone going has made some sort of arrangement for a Ukrainian flag or just some support. Would be beautiful!
THE LATEST ON UKRAINE – RUSSIA WAR:
– Russian troops are in northern districts of the capital Kyiv, Ukraine says, and video shows armoured vehicles advancing
– The UK says the “bulk” of Russian troops advancing on the city remain more than 50km away
– Vladimir Putin tells Ukrainian troops to overthrow their own country’s leadership
– Meanwhile the Ukrainian government calls on citizens to make Molotov cocktails and defend the city
– Ukraine’s interior ministry also says 18,000 guns have been given to volunteers
– And Ukraine’s President Zelensky releases a defiant video, saying he’s not leaving
– Russian forces say they have taken control of Hostomel airfield near Kyiv
– Russia is stripped of Champions League final, kicked out of 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, and stopped from hosting F1 Grand Prix
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