Guardiola: Society will be better if we 'embrace other cultures'

Pep Guardiola said that society would be better if people embraced other cultures, as the Manchester City boss responded to Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe's controversial comments about immigration.

Ratcliffe was forced to apologise for "offending some people" this week after claiming that Britain had been "colonised" by immigrants.

The British billionaire insisted that "open debate" on the issue was needed.

But Guardiola believes that the way that countries treat immigrants remains a "big problem" that requires empathy to resolve.

"I have a huge appreciation for Sir Jim. I was fortunate to meet him. He made a statement after to apologise," Guardiola told reporters on Friday.

"I'm not commenting on what Sir Jim Ratcliffe said because after that he said what exactly he wanted to say.

"But all around the world the problem that we have in all the countries is that we treat immigrants or people who come from other countries as the problem for problems that our countries have and it is a big, big, big, big, big problem."

Guardiola's world view was formed during his much-travelled football life.

He was born in the Catalan region of Spain and also lived in Italy, Qatar and Mexico during his playing career.

The 55-year-old has had spells in Spain, Germany and England during his glittering managerial career.

"The fact that I am a Catalan and you are British -- what influence did we have on where we were born? It was mum and dad," he said ahead of City's FA Cup fourth round tie against Salford this weekend.

"Everybody wants to have a better life and a perspective to have a better future for themselves, their families and their friends, and sometimes opportunities come in the place where you are born and the place that maybe you go.

"Today the colour of the skin or where you were born doesn't make a difference. We have a lot of work to do about that.

"It doesn't make me feel that because I am Catalan I am better than you. My education when I was born and travelled in Mexico and Qatar or lived in Italy or England or Germany, that is just the benefit of my personality.

"Most people are running away from countries because of problems in their countries, not because they want to leave. As much as we embrace other cultures -- truly, truly embrace it -- that will be a better society."