Pep Guardiola: Spanish police searched my jet looking for Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont

The Football Association has charged Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola for wearing a yellow ribbon during games.

Guardiola, who has supported calls for a referendum over Catalonia’s independence from Spain, has worn the ribbon in a show of support for Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart, two members of the Catalan government who were imprisoned in October.


But the FA has now cited him for “wearing a political message,” which is in breach of the English governing body’s kit regulations.

Guardiola most recently wore the ribbon on his shirt during Monday’s FA Cup defeat to Wigan. He has until March 5 to respond to the charge.

Meanwhile, Guardiola confirmed on Friday that a private jet containing his family was searched by Spanish police looking for Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont.

Officers inspected the plane after it arrived at Barcelona airport from Manchester believing that Puigdemont might be on board, Catalan Radio reported on Thursday.

Puigdemont is in exile in Belgium and faces charges over his role in October’s declaration of independence from Spain.

The Manchester City manager said at his news conference: “That is something that my wife explained to me, it’s been in the news.

“The police obviously do their job, they have the right to stop a plane and search it. It’s what happened. My family saw it, they saw the police searching the plane and that’s it.”