Pep Guardiola conceded that football will find it impossible to completely eradicate racism after another high-profile incident over the weekend.
Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger appeared to indicate he had been targeted with a monkey chant during their victory at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Spurs vowed to take ‘the strongest possible action,’ against anyone found to have abused Rudiger as racism continues to plague the Premier League.
Manchester City are also waiting for the outcome of Greater Manchester Police’s investigation into a fan alleged to have racially abused Fred during the derby earlier this month.
‘I don’t think it will be completely eradicated,’ Guardiola – who would support players walking off - said. ‘We need a lot of time. It was a problem that’s happened for decades, centuries.
‘You can visualise it now because the media is closer and up front about the problem. It’s happened for a long time.’
Guardiola suggested more needs to be done at grassroots level to educate children and concentrate on instructing the next generation.
He added: ‘It’s fighting, (to teach) the little kids in the schools and if it happens then be strict so it doesn’t happen again.
‘You have to battle day by day. It’s not one club or anything specific that happened, a lot of actions happen.
‘We have to fight it every day, in schools and the families at home for the next generation. The initiatives we are going to support.’
City face Wolves on Friday and Guardiola will allow his players to spend Christmas Day with their families following the weekend win over Leicester.
The Spaniard is frustrated about a lack of restbite between Wolves away and hosting Sheffield United 46 hours later.
‘What I know is that less than 48 hours is not the perfect time,’ Guardiola said. ‘Christmas time is what it is in this country and we adapt no problem.’
The City boss admitted that David Silva is still missing and John Stones is not yet ready to make a return, while Sergio Aguero is likely to take a place on the bench.