Pep Guardiola set to face a grilling in Man City press conference

02/10/2023

Pep Guardiola set to face a grilling on Man City’s Premier League financial rule-break charges as he speaks for the first time since the threat of points deductions and EXPULSION emerged – and with club adamant they will fight it

Man City have been charged with over 100 alleged breaches of financial rules
Pep Guardiola will speak for the first time since the announcement on Monday
He will likely face questioning over his future given the alleged breaches

Pep Guardiola is set to face one of the toughest press conferences of his managerial career as he faces the media for the first time since Man City were charged with more than 100 financial rule breaches.

The Spaniard may have been hoping for a comfortable meeting with the media, with only questions about his players and their upcoming Premier League clash with Aston Villa on Sunday.

But when he sits down to speak to them at around 1.30pm, he is set to face a large raft of questions about the alleged breaches and what it means for both the club and his future as manager.

Guardiola has led City to four titles over the past five seasons in what has been the most successful era of their history.

There have been reports though questioning whether Guardiola will still be at the Etihad by the time a verdict is made, and whether he would leave if the club ‘lied’ to him.

Pep Guardiola is set to face a grilling in his press conference, the first time he will have spoken publicly since City were charged with 115 breaches of financial rules

City have vowed to fight the charges but there is concern over Guardiola’s future (Sheikh Mansour pictured left speaking with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak)

It has been reported that staff behind the scenes are expecting he will have already left the club by any time any punishment kicks in if they are found guilty.

If they are found to have breached financial rules, the range of penalties that could be dished out include a points deduction or even expulsion from the top-flight.

Guardiola claimed last year that he would leave if he discovered that he had been lied to by the club over allegations City breached financial fair play rules.

Speaking in May 2022, Guardiola said: ‘If I defend the people and the club it’s because I work with them. When I asked about suspicions or if our people have done something, then I say to them, “tell me”.

‘I said to them “if you lie to me, the day after I’m not here, I will be out and you will not be my friend any more.” But I look at them and believe them 100 per cent from day one. So I defend the club because of that.’

The charges against the reigning champions relate to financial information regarding revenue, details of manager and player remuneration, UEFA regulations, profitability and sustainability and co-operation with Premier League investigations.

Guardiola was one of the first to be told of the news among City’s senior figures before it was made public on Monday, with the matter now being referred to an independent commission.

Later that day the first team squad and other members of the staff were reportedly addressed about the charges.

Guardiola (right) has been hugely successful at City, and penned an extension in November

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He vocally stood by the club and their officials back in 2020 when they were initially handed a two-year ban from the Champions League for breaking FFP regulations.

That ban was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which ruled ‘most of the alleged breaches were either not established or time-barred’. City, though, were fined £9m and were criticised by CAS for their failure to comply with the UEFA probe.

Guardiola’s future has come under further question since the Premier League announced the charges, despite the 52-year-old signing a contract extension until 2025 three months ago.

He has been hugely successful at the Etihad Stadium, winning 11 trophies, including four Premier League titles across six years.

In a statement City said they were surprised by the alleged breaches.

Guardiola will unlikely face many questions about Sunday’s match against Aston Villa

It read: ‘Manchester City FC is surprised by the issuing of these alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules, particularly given the extensive engagement and vast amount of detailed materials that the EPL has been provided with.

‘The club welcomes the review of this matter by an independent commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position.’

City declined to comment beyond their statement. It is understood, however, that there is a view within the club that the timing of the charges do not come as a coincidence.

A statement from the league said alleged breaches were committed from September 2009 to the 2017-18 season and will be referred to an independent commission.

The Spaniard said in May 2022 that he would leave if he found that the club had ‘lied’ to him

Man City chiefs expect Guardiola will have left the club by the time any potential punishment kicks in (the Man City boss left speaking to Sheikh Mansour, Al Mubarak and Willy Caballero)

City are also facing charges for failing to co-operate with the Premier League since the investigation was launched in 2018.

It adds that the club is alleged to have breached league rules requiring provision ‘in utmost good faith’ of ‘accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position’.

Man City’s rivals are pushing for the club to be punished, and the topic was on the agenda when representatives from each top flight club gathered at London’s Churchill Hotel on Thursday to discuss the charges.

The Premier League are anticipating a long-term battle with the Manchester club over the next few years.

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