(Reuters) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said it had been a difficult time for Ukraine’s Oleksandr Zinchenko following Russia’s invasion of his country but playing football was the best thing for the 25-year-old defender.
A tearful Zinchenko was an unused substitute in City’s 1-0 Premier League victory over Everton last weekend but returned to captain the team in Tuesday’s 2-0 FA Cup win at Peterborough after being handed the armband by regular skipper Fernandinho.
“Our captain decided to give the armband to him, to show how important the situation is,” Guardiola told ITV Sport before the game. “We are all at the club behind this gesture and behind my captain, who represents his country.”
The United Nations said on Tuesday at least 136 civilians have been killed in the invasion, but that the real number of people is likely higher. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have fled the fighting.
Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a “special operation” that it says is not designed to occupy territory but to destroy its southern neighbour’s military capabilities and capture what it regards as dangerous nationalists.
Guardiola said Zinchenko had received plenty of support.
“He got not just (support from fans), but all around the world, the UK, about this insane situation we’re living in right now,” Guardiola added.
“Playing football is the best way for him. We’re through to the next round and it was a good night knowing the difficulty of the FA Cup away.”
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
