Pep Guardiola will not want people "questioning everything he's achieved" at Manchester City after the club were found guilty by an independent commission, according to his former team-mate.
The Premier League giants were found guilty of 114 charges, tainting their achievements over the past decade and a half. The period of wrongdoing began in the 2009/10 season and lasted until 2017/18, the end of Guardiola's second season, when he led City to the title with 100 points, a top-flight record.
Former team-mate's verdict
Stephen Appiah, Guardiola's former team-mate at Brescia, insists the verdict will not sit well with the Catalan, who will be desperately seeking answers. Appiah told The Sun: "I think people underestimate how intense Pep is. He's a straightforward person. At least when we were at Brescia, he was always with me and Roberto Baggio, he'd follow us everywhere. He's somebody who, when there is an issue, wants to solve the issue there and then. He doesn't like living with a bad feeling."
"When something happens around the team, even when we didn't get results, you could see that it got to him. So I know all these things that are happening around Man City, the moment he walks out of the door, I know he's feeling it. It's not going to be easy for him."
Legacy under scrutiny
Appiah added: "And as we know, he's a very passionate person, so he won't be happy with people questioning what he's done in the game and everything he achieved. Given how I know him from our time together, he will be moving mountains trying to get to the bottom of these issues once and for all."
When the charges were hanging over City, Guardiola constantly maintained the club were innocent and backed the club's hierarchy, who were adamant they'd done nothing wrong and have appealed the decision.
Guardiola's response
Guardiola called time on his City decade this summer, with the timing itself raising suspicion. He has spoken since the guilty verdict, writing in a social media post: "I want every single Manchester City fan across the world to know I am here; more than ever."
He continued: "I am, always have been, always will, be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran [Soriano], the players, staff, [manager] Enzo [Maresca] and you, our unique supporters. Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all."
