Ololade Adeyanju/
Pep Guardiola was reportedly subjected to a bizarre on-the-spot-check when he arrived at Barcelona airport last week.
Spanish police searched his private plane to see if he was smuggling leading Catalan politician, Carles Puigdemont, into the country, according to MailOnline.
The search of Guardiola’s plane was followed by another incident when a car in which his daughter was travelling was stopped by police.
Guardiola’s plane landed at Barcelona-El Prat airport and after its passengers had disembarked, with the Manchester City manager still on-board, several members of the Guardia Civil police boarded to search the plane.
They reportedly left shortly after without saying anything to Guardiola.
Back in the terminal Guardiola was told the police had been looking for Puigdemont who is currently believed to be in exile in Belgium.
Puigdemont served as president of Catalonia up until October 2017 when he led a referendum on Catalan independence from Spain that was declared illegal.
He declared unilateral independence after the vote and the Spanish government responded by imposing direct rule, dismissing Puigdemont and calling new regional elections.
In those elections pro-independence parties won a slim majority of seats and want Puigdemont to return as regional president but he faces arrest if he reenters the country.
Guardiola has long been a supporter of Catalan independence. He wears a yellow ribbon to protest at the imprisonment in Spain of several activists Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart accused of organising the referendum.
The Manchester City manager was today charged by the English Football Association for “wearing a political message, specifically a yellow ribbon”.
It is understood that Guardiola was twice warned by the FA over wearing the yellow ribbon before being charged for wearing it during the game against Wigan.
Last December Catalan media also claimed Guardiola’s name is mentioned in a Guardia Civil report on the events leading up to the referendum.
The report investigates the alleged “rebellion” of the separatists and Guardiola is cited as having read a manifesto intended to “mobilise all supporters of independence” at a rally in Barcelona.
Catalan newspaper La Vanguardia say police sources confirmed to them that the plane search was “purely routine” and that they were not aware members of Guardiola’s family were aboard.
Guardiola and Puigdemont 