Guardiola backs Manchester City amid Premier League expulsion fears

Pep Guardiola took to social media last week to reassure supporters after Manchester City were found guilty of deliberate financial rule‑breaking spanning nine years. “Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all,” he wrote, offering comfort to Man City fans facing a possible Premier League expulsion.

Charges and Guardiola's role

The guilty verdicts relate to alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play rules between 2009 and 2018. Although Guardiola left the Etihad in the summer and now works as a global ambassador for City Football Group, he felt compelled to speak out.

City are appealing the sanctions and Guardiola will travel to the Etihad next week for their Champions League tie against Paris St‑Germain, the club’s first home match since the verdicts were announced.

Guardiola's comments over the years

On 18 May 2019, after a 6‑0 FA Cup final win over Watford, Guardiola faced a Sky News query about alleged undeclared payments. He replied, “I listen to my chairman and my CEO, and I trust them. They tell me we are fair and we absolutely follow the rules.”

When UEFA found City guilty of Financial Fair Play breaches on 19 February 2020, Guardiola said the club would appeal, adding, “We trust the club 100 percent and we will fight until the situation is resolved.”

Guardiola returns to Man City as PSG verdict looms

After the Court of Arbitration for Sport lifted UEFA’s two‑year European ban on 14 July 2020, he lamented, “We were damaged. The presumption of innocence wasn’t there and many people said we cheated.”

In a May 2022 interview he explained his continued defence of the hierarchy, stating, “Why did I defend the club and the people? It’s because I work with them.”

Roberto Mancini, who left City in 2013, later remarked that the charges were not his concern, saying the issue belonged to the club. The club’s hierarchy also faces accusations of involvement in the United Arab Emirates’ alleged role in the Sudan conflict, which the UAE has denied. The video accompanying Guardiola’s post carries the message “To play this video you need to enable JavaScript” and the headline “Could Manchester City be expelled from the Premier League?” reinforcing the urgency of the situation.

Guardiola bets on a symbolic presence at Etihad before City‑PSG clash

Senior figures within English football have expressed concern that Manchester City could miss next season’s Champions League, while rival clubs have called for a broader range of punishments in the Premier League case. They argue that consistency is essential to preserve the integrity of the competition.