From Manchester to supporters scattered across the world, Pep Guardiola has returned to the club’s gathering storm with a public message of loyalty after Manchester City were found guilty of all 115 Premier League charges concerning alleged financial-rule breaches.
Guardiola, who left City in June after a spell that began in 2016, used Instagram to address the club’s fanbase and offer support to the organisation he led for a decade. His intervention came after the Premier League’s independent commission delivered its verdict on accusations covering several seasons.
“I want every Manchester City supporter around the world to know that I am here now more than ever,” Guardiola wrote. “I have always stood with, and will always stand with, my club, its owner, its chairman, Ferran Soriano, the players, the staff, Enzo Maresca and our exceptional supporters. We will come through this together. I love you all.”
A verdict covering nine seasons
The commission concluded that City created false agreements with a number of commercial partners between 2009/10 and 2017/18. The findings stated that those arrangements overstated revenue by more than £900 million, while the club was also found to have filed inaccurate accounts and seriously exceeded spending restrictions.
The ruling further found that City breached its obligations to cooperate with the investigation and to act in the utmost good faith throughout the process.
City have until 2 October to lodge an appeal and have confirmed that they will use that right. In their response, the club said they were both surprised and deeply disappointed by the outcome, maintained their innocence and said they hold a wide body of what they described as irrefutable evidence.
The club added that it would pursue its position firmly, and where required proactively, through the relevant regulatory and legal channels. For Guardiola, speaking from beyond his City tenure, the immediate message was simpler: the bond with the blue half of Manchester remains intact as the club prepares for its next legal battle.
