Pep Guardiola has publicly defended Manchester City after the club was found guilty of all charges related to financial rule breaches spanning a nine-year period. Addressing supporters, the 55-year-old stated, “We will get through this together.” Guardiola, who departed the club this past summer following a successful decade-long tenure that included 20 trophies, maintained his steadfast faith in the leadership team. He expressed his loyalty to the owners, chairman, staff, and former chief executive Ferran Soriano, affirming his commitment to the club’s future as he transitions into his new role as a global ambassador for the City Football Group. With his first two seasons falling within the period investigated by the independent commission, guardiola left City in the summer after a trophy-laden decade in charge. The Spaniard remains a close ally of the chief executive, Ferran Soriano, who brought him to England, the pair having previously worked together at Barcelona. “I want every single Manchester City fan across the world to know I am here; more than ever,” Guardiola posted on social media. “I am, always have been, always will, be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran, the players, staff, Enzo [Maresca] and you, our unique supporters. Twenty trophies were won in the 10 years Guardiola managed City and he was frequently asked about the charges that hung over the club for much of his tenure. It was confirmed that he would continue as a global ambassador for City Football Group, which would involve him giving “technical advice to the clubs in the group, working on specific projects and collaborations”, upon Guardiola’s departure.
Throughout his time at the helm, Guardiola was frequently questioned regarding the investigation, which formally began with charges issued in February 2023. Consistently, he maintained that he trusted the assurances provided by the Abu Dhabi ownership group. Following the verdict, the club has confirmed its intention to appeal the decision before the upcoming Friday deadline, maintaining its position of innocence regarding the alleged breaches. According to the 55-year-old has consistently reiterated his faith in what he was told by the club’s Abu Dhabi ownership while the investigation was ongoing, with charges first brought against the club in February 2023. “I trust them,” Guardiola, In May. “I spoke with them and trust how they behave and how they did.”.
The ruling has sparked significant internal criticism. David Bernstein, who served as Manchester City’s chairman from 1998 to 2003, characterized the current situation as “beyond awful” and suggested that the board of directors should resign. Bernstein argued that the severity of the findings renders the current management’s position untenable. He noted that if City were a public entity, the directors would likely be suspended or forced to step down pending the outcome of any appeals process, insisting that the club requires a leadership change to regain credibility. “I can’t think of a penalty strong enough for this, really.
Meanwhile, the operational side of the club continues to focus on upcoming fixtures. Andrée Jeglertz, head coach of the Manchester City women’s team, emphasized that it remains “business as usual” for his squad as they prepare to host Real Madrid in the Women’s Champions League on Thursday. When asked if he supported the club despite the Premier League’s guilty verdict, Jeglertz replied, “Definitely,” confirming his commitment to his role. He stated that the team, which secured the Women’s Super League title last season, is solely focused on their football preparations and has made no changes to their routine in response to the news.
