Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola plans to sign the book of condolence for the late Sir Bobby Charlton when his team travel to Old Trafford on Sunday to face Manchester United, and condemned the “vile chanting” by two City fans.
Charlton, an England World Cup winner and one of United’s greatest players, died on Saturday at the age of 86.
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“They don’t represent us,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday. “The alcohol makes bad, bad things in people.”
City suspended two minors from attending games after video emerged on social media of them chanting “Bobby’s in a box” during their team’s win over Brighton & Hove Albion on the same day at the Etihad Stadium.
“Manchester City can confirm that two minors have been identified in connection with the vile chanting heard at the Etihad Stadium during half-time of last weekend’s fixture against Brighton and Hove Albion,” read a club statement on Thursday.
“What represents us is that the next time I go to Old Trafford to sign the book on condolences on behalf of Manchester City,” Guardiola said. “We have a huge respect for Manchester United and especially the icon and the figure that is Sir Bobby Charlton.
“Our condolences are with his family and with Manchester United. They always are and always will be there.”
Sunday’s matchup will be the 191st Manchester derby, but Guardiola said that playing in the cauldron of Old Trafford is always unique.
“When I was in Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and I travelled to England to play United at Old Trafford, it was always special, special scenarios, special place, and of course it is special for our fans,” he said.
“But at the end, it’s a football game. It’s not like FA Cup final or fixtures where winning or losing can define winning or not the Premier League. It is still the [10th] fixture, so 87 points to play, it’s another game, you have to be focused what you have to do to beat them.”
Champions City are second in the table, six points ahead of their neighbours in eighth. Sunday’s clash will be a good test of his team’s mentality, Guardiola added.
“We have won a lot, it is not about whether we win, what is going to happen? I want to see my team prove they have the right mentality you need to win these games,” he said.
Reuters contributed to this report.