Pep Guardiola Voices Steadfast Support for Manchester City Following Guilty Verdict on Financial Rules

Former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed his unwavering support for the Premier League club after they were found guilty of serious breaches of financial rules. The Spaniard handed over to former assistant Enzo Maresca at the end of last season after a decade in charge.

“I want every single @ManCity fan to know I am here; more than ever. I am, always have been, always will, be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran, the players, staff, Enzo and you, our unique supporters,” Guardiola stated on Wednesday in his first public reaction on his X account. “Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all.”

City’s Chief Executive Ferran Soriano addressed staff in a video on Tuesday, rejecting the independent commission’s findings. Guardiola took charge of City in 2016, leading the team to six Premier League titles—including four consecutively—along with three FA Cups, five League Cups, and the Champions League.

The Premier League charges involve “sham” commercial contracts used to inflate revenue and understate costs by over 900 million pounds ($1.2bn) across nearly a decade, covering the period from 2009 to 2018. During this time, the club concealed its true financial state to bypass Premier League and UEFA spending limits while securing three league titles. An independent commission found Manchester City guilty on all charges related to financial rule breaches over the nine-year period, as well as most charges concerning a failure to cooperate with the Premier League investigation.

Manchester City continues to deny any wrongdoing and has stated it will appeal the decision by Friday. The ruling has created massive uncertainty for the club, with potential punishments ranging from substantial points deductions and fines to expulsion from the top division. Everton and Nottingham Forest previously received points deductions for single financial breaches, leading to speculation that Manchester City could face relegation or even have past titles stripped. Former chairman David Bernstein noted that the club cannot remain in the league if the appeal fails, while former Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow highlighted the likelihood of extensive compensation claims from rival clubs.