translated from Spanish: Guardiola defends player who violated rules by Covid-19 in new year: “many people have done perhaps the same thing”

Three days after a coronavirus outbreak in Manchester City forced the postponement of a match, zaguero Benjamin Mendy held a New Year’s party, violating restrictions imposed amid the pandemic in England.And although Pep Guardiola acknowledged that the player did something wrong in organizing the celebration at home, he defended some of Mendy’s actions.” He has broken the rules,” the Spanish coach of City acknowledged on Sunday. “Of course, what he did has not been right, but you must not judge him too much, for if you look. on New Year’s Eve, many people have done perhaps the same thing.” Mendy’s lack came at a time when City was dealing with the impact of a COVID-19 outbreak among its ranks that had led to The Postponement of Monday’s match against local Everton and forced six of its players to comply with quarantine, with the positive result of Spanish defender Eric Garcia revealed sunday. Despite the risk of having won the meeting, Mendy was assigned as a substitute for Sunday’s match against Chelsea, as City required one more element on the bench.” Benjamin had COVID beforehand, so he had it before,” Guardiola justified. “The tests have been performed daily, as have the others. and tested negative.” According to health information regarding COVID-19, having contracted it earlier offers no guarantee against future contagion. The Premier League has so far not spoken out for city, Tottenham, West Ham, Fulham and Crystal Palace players who were seen during the Christmas period in breach of COVID-19 restrictions that the British government has strengthened in response to a new variant of the virus which, according to scientists, is 70% more contagious than the previous one. Britain is in the midst of a strong regrowth, with more than 50,000 new cases of coronavirus daily over the past six days. Mendy received a chef and two friends of his partner at home, a representative of the French player indicated according to quotes from the newspaper “The Sun”. The authorities had banned people who do not live in the same household from meeting in enclosed spaces in the northern part of England, where Mendy resides.” The club is aware of a COVID-19 new Year’s violation of rules involving Benjamin Mendy and the subsequent media report on it,” The City said. “While it is known that the elements of this incident have been misinterpreted in the reports, and that the player has publicly apologized for his mistake, the club is disappointed to learn of the transgression and will conduct an internal investigation.” In a statement to The Sun newspaper, Mendy’s representative expressed regret on behalf of the 26-year-old French player.” Ben accepts that this is a violation of coVID-19 protocols and is sorry for his actions on this issue,” reads in the document. “Ben has been tested by COVID and is collaborating with Manchester City on this.” Through a tweet, Mendy had exhorted the population to “take care of themselves and take care of their own” shortly before midnight on Thursday. On Saturday, an image obtained from social media was released showing three Tottenham players, Argentines Erik Lamela and Giovani Lo Celso and Spaniard Sergio Reguilón, attending a party at a house in London during the Christmas period, in a clear violation of the rules against the spread of coronavirus. Tottenham condemned the conduct of the players, who could now face disciplinary action determined by the club. Another Argentine player, Manuel Lanzini of West Ham, also attended the same party. The 27-year-old winger offered apologies on social media for what he called his “serious mistake,” and the team announced that he had dealt with the matter internally. Fulham, whose visit to Burnley on Sunday has been postponed due to cases of contagion at the London club, investigates the images that were broadcast on social media on Friday showing his Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and compatriot Luka Milivojevic of Crystal Palace, reunited with their families on 31 December.

Original source in Spanish