Manchester City were found guilty of breaking almost all of the 115 financial rules they were accused of breaching, with an independent panel reaching its decision last week. The club were first charged by the Premier League in February 2023 following a four-year investigation, and the hearing began just over two years ago.
The Athletic reported on Friday that the panel found City guilty of all but one count. The Premier League declined to comment, while City did not address whether they had been found guilty in a statement making clear that the "process remains ongoing" from their point of view. The club are expected to appeal, having always insisted they have done nothing wrong.
Guardiola's initial defence
Long-running City manager Pep Guardiola left the club at the end of last season and was not in charge for the verdict. He previously spoke openly about the charges, which relate to a nine-year period from 2009. After the charges were announced in early 2023, he drew comparisons to City's previous UEFA ban, which was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
He said: "My first thought is that we are already being condemned. What has happened this week after Monday is the same as what happened with [the] UEFA [case]. With UEFA we were condemned. We had already accusations, now we have just charges."
He also criticised other Premier League clubs, suggesting rival executives were driving the push for punishment. "You have to understand that between 19 teams of the Premier League is accusing us without the latest opportunity to defend," he said.
Relegation vow and legal frustrations
Guardiola insisted he would stay at City even if they were relegated, referencing former players Paul Dickov and Mike Summerbee. "We are not a team with a long history or titles, we have been in the lower divisions, and we will be back there," he said.
By May 2023, he expressed exasperation over the slow legal process, saying he wanted the charges dealt with "as soon as possible". He said: "What I would like is if the Premier League and judges could make something as soon as possible. Then, if we have done something wrong, everybody will know it."
He insisted he would not quit while the charges remained unresolved. "I will stay next season while there are 110 breaches against us," he said. "Don't worry, we will be there."
Final confidence in the club
In November 2023, Guardiola claimed City's case was completely different to Everton's points deduction, saying: "It's two different cases. It's not the same, honestly." Asked if he would consider his future if City were expelled, he said: "Absolutely I will not consider my future [if] it depends being here or being in League One."
In September 2024, ahead of the hearing, he said he was "looking forward" to the decision. In November 2024, amid poor form, he addressed calls for relegation: "I read something about the situation and how we need to be relegated immediately. Seventy-five per cent of the clubs want it, because I know what they do behind the scenes."
Guardiola reiterated his confidence in his employers right until the end, even after announcing his decision to step down a year before his contract expiry. Ending his tenure with FA Cup and Carabao Cup triumphs, he said: "I trust them. I spoke with them and trust how they behave and how they did. What happened, happened."
