Leeds Fans Boo Ramadan Break In Premier League, Pep Guardiola Responds

Last Updated:March 01, 2026, 19:40 IST

Pep Guardiola urged respect for cultural diversity after Leeds United fans booed a Ramadan fast break at Elland Road.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola called for greater respect towards cultural and religious diversity after some supporters at Leeds United’s home ground, Elland Road, booed a brief stoppage in play to allow a few players to break their Ramadan fast.

The interruption occurred in the 12th minute in Saturday’s Premier League clash. Omar Marmoush, Rayan Aït-Nouri and Rayan Cherki took fluids after sunset in observance of the holy month. Abdukodir Khusanov, another Muslim player, was among the substitutes.

In recent seasons, the Premier League has permitted short pauses in matches during Ramadan to allow fasting players to rehydrate once the fast is broken. The reaction at Leeds was unusual because the club put up a message explaining the reason behind the break on the big screen at the ground.

Guardiola described the incident as reflective of a need for greater understanding. “It’s the modern world. Respect the religion, respect the diversity. That is the point," he said in the post-match press conference, as quoted by AFP. “The Premier League said, ‘OK, for the fasting, you can have one or two minutes,’ so we did that for the players."

City won the match 0-1 with winter signing Antoine Semenyo netting a tap-in to an excellent cross from Ryan Ait-Nouri.

Anti-discrimination body Kick It Out criticised the response from some supporters, noting that an explanation of the pause had been displayed on the stadium’s big screen. In a statement, the organisation said it was “massively disappointing" that players were booed while breaking their fast, adding that the incident demonstrated there remains “a long way to go in terms of education and acceptance."

The episode follows a separate development in which police launched an investigation into what authorities described as “abhorrent" racist abuse directed online at four Premier League footballers.

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