British criticism of Pep Guardiola over Manchester City scandal

While Pep Guardiola dedicated this Wednesday a statement of support to Manchester City supporters, in England the criticism against him intensifies due to the financial scandal affecting the club. Despite having expressed his backing to the fans, the Spanish manager has not escaped the recriminatory atmosphere that has arisen in the United Kingdom.

Investigation and figures of the case

The Premier League investigation that led to Manchester City's guilt covers the period between 2009 and 2018. That span includes two of the seasons in which Pep Guardiola managed the English club, including the campaign in which he won his first league there.

The club has been found guilty of financial irregularities that, according to the columnist, exceed one billion euros over almost ten years. These figures fuel accusations that Manchester City operated with adulterated contracts and companies.

In a harsh article in The Times newspaper, columnist Matthew Syed discusses the “stained” legacy of the Spanish manager. Syed wonders whether Guardiola knew about the arrangements, labeling it fraud, or if he remained blind, describing him as short‑sighted.

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Manager's response and columnist's assessment

This Wednesday, Guardiola released a statement in which he reaffirms his support for Manchester City after the guilty verdict. He recalled the nine years he spent at the Etihad, where he won six Premier League titles and a Champions League, and addressed his message to the fans, the owner Ferran, the chairman, Enzo and the rest of the staff.

The columnist concludes that, although Guardiola is undeniably a great strategist, his legacy will be eclipsed by an era in which the true magic was created by the accountants, not the manager. Thus, the manager's reputation is now linked to the club's financial scandals.

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Syed proposes two alternatives: that Pep knew the frauds and, therefore, is neither visionary nor a legend, but a fraud; or that he was unaware of the facts and turns out to be the most short‑sighted person. He adds a third option, hypocrisy, as a possible explanation of the situation.