Pep Guardiola has publicly backed Manchester City and their owners after the Premier League confirmed the club had been found guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of financial rules.
Guardiola left the club last summer after a hugely successful ten-year tenure, which saw him win 20 trophies, including six league titles. But that trophy haul will now come under increased scrutiny after an independent commission found the club guilty of all charges related to 'serious breaches' of financial rules.
Charges cover 2009-2018 period
Between the period of 2009 and 2018, during which Man City won three Premier League titles, the FA Cup and three League Cups, the club 'relied on sham agreements to artificially inflate the club's revenues and reduce its costs'.
The club also committed multiple breaches of its duties of co-operation and utmost good faith towards the League throughout the course of the lengthy investigation.
Guardiola's first statement since verdict
Guardiola joined the club in 2016, with the first of his league titles coming in the final season covered by the charges. Despite leaving the dugout, the Spaniard stayed on as a technical advisor and global ambassador, and has now publicly backed the club in his first statement since the guilty verdict was announced.
Posting a picture alongside City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Guardiola wrote: 'I want every single Manchester City fan across the world 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.
'Let me be clear: we will get through this together.
'I love you all.'
City to appeal verdict
City, meanwhile, have maintained their innocence and indicated the intent to appeal the guilty verdict, which could see the club dealt a healthy points deduction or even expelled from the Premier League.
In a leaked video to staff and players, chief executive Ferran Soriano went further, suggesting the guilty verdict was part of a 'conspiracy theory' from the Premier League to punish the club based on 'a single false accusation'.
'The whole Premier League case against us is based on a single false accusation – that the owner's personal money was somehow and secretly put into the club via some sponsors from Abu Dhabi,' Soriano said. 'This is just not true. Irrefutable evidence has been provided to the Premier League commission that shows it could not happen and that it did not happen. This includes bank statements, money transfers, witnesses and everything necessary to categorically demonstrate the money did not come from the owner.
'Every other false charge that has been thrown at us comes from that simple, central and completely false accusation. Surprisingly for us and our lawyers after nearly two years the commission has issued an opinion that supports the Premier League's conspiracy theory.
'To do so, the opinion had to ignore the extensive evidence provided by the club in order to reach a conclusion that is clearly wrong. Our lawyers will now file an appeal that sets out the opinion contains clear, material errors of law, principle and fact and that it is unsafe.'
