Klopp stays silent out of respect for Guardiola after Man City's blame

In the Etihad press room, an archive image shows Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola as the Premier League announced on Tuesday that Manchester City had been found guilty of 115 charges for breaching financial rules between 2009 and 2018. The club, known as "citizen", has the right to appeal until Friday 2 October.

Premier League finds City guilty

The official statement noted that the independent commission had identified 115 infringements, although another report mentions 114 charges, both referring to the same 2009‑2018 period. The planned sanctions include expulsion from the league, points deduction, title removal and financial fines.

Klopp explains his respectful silence

Jürgen Klopp, now Germany's manager and former Liverpool coach from 2015 to 2024, said that his respect for Pep Guardiola prevents him from commenting on the case. «I haven’t given it much importance, although, of course, I have seen it. I also know what I said about it in the past and that if there is ever a parade, I will be there, but I no longer feel that way», explained the German coach during the national team’s preparatory session.

Pep Guardiola, who managed City from 2016 to 2026, said he was satisfied with the club’s achievements and preferred to let the process run its course without speculation. In a tweet posted on Wednesday, the manager expressed his support for the Etihad hierarchy and for all of Manchester City.

City strengthens squad ahead of sanctions

Ferran Soriano, chief executive, and Khaldoon Al Mubarak, chairman, had anticipated the possibility of a transfer ban and, during the summer of 2026, built a squad capable of competing without relying on the market. The strategy included a complete overhaul of the midfield, designed to last a decade.

Among the notable signings, the club secured the arrival of young Moroccan Ayyoub Bouaddi for £85.6 million from Lille, and added Englishman Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest. In addition, world‑cup midfielder Enzo Fernández joined, transferred from Chelsea.

In the 2025/26 campaign, City bolstered the attack with Antoine Semenyo and creative Rayan Cherki, while in January the English defender Marc Guehi was added, after a failed attempt to sign him from Liverpool.

If the Premier League imposes a points deduction or a transfer ban, the depth and quality of the squad would allow the team to absorb the blow and continue fighting for the top. The club has announced it will lodge an appeal against the decision.

The case highlights the tension between financial regulation and clubs’ ambition, while also showing the prudence of figures like Klopp, who prefer not to fuel the controversy out of respect for his former rival.