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Pep Guardiola vows to support Manchester City as the club faces potential sanctions after an independent commission finds they breached Premier League financial rules over nine seasons, inflating revenue by over £900 million.
Pep Guardiola has publicly vowed to stand by Manchester City after the club was found guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules by an independent commission.
Guardiola Vows Solidarity With Manchester City
The commission concluded that City "clearly intended to circumvent Premier League rules" over a nine‑season period, revealing that the club engaged in schemes that inflated revenue and hid costs by more than £900 million. Guardiola, who departed the club after a ten‑year reign that yielded six league titles, posted a message on the Pep Team X account affirming his solidarity with the club, its owner, chairman Ferran, the players, staff and the fans.
He wrote: I want every single @ManCity fan to know I am here; more than ever. I am, always have been, always will, be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran, the players, staff, Enzo and you, our unique supporters. Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all.
The statement aims to rally support for the club as it faces severe sanctions unless it can overturn the decision on appeal. The independent commission's findings span nine seasons, from 2009‑10 to 2017‑18, and expose a "disguised funding scheme" whereby companies linked to Abu Dhabi paid a fraction of the amounts recorded on City's books. The remaining balance was settled by Abu Dhabi United Group, the vehicle through which Sheikh Mansour holds the club.
Commission Details Financial Rule Breaches
This arrangement inflated revenue by more than £830 million, overstated image‑rights income by nearly £74 million, and understated staff‑contract liabilities by almost £17 million. The commission also found evidence that City undertook "concerted efforts" to hinder and frustrate the Premier League's own investigation. Despite the verdict, City's chief executive Ferran Soriano announced through a video message that the club would appeal, arguing that the decision contains "clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe".
City claims the ruling is based on a "conspiracy theory" promoted by the Premier League. While the appeal is pending, the commission will now weigh what sanctions to impose. Possible penalties include a points deduction, a ban from competitions, or even expulsion from the Premier League - a dramatic fall for a club that has amassed eight league titles since 2008, six won under Guardiola's management.
The situation has drawn the ire of former Manchester United captain Roy Keane, who stated on ITV that if he had played for City he would have thrown all of their medals into the bin, calling the club's actions "cheating" and rejecting the claim that the wins were simply performance on the pitch. The Times reports that other top‑flight clubs have appealed to the league to hasten a conclusion to the case before the season ends.
Sanctions Divide Supporters Across Football
City's supporters are divided: some feel loyalty to the club remains, while others question the integrity of the successes. The Premier League is under increasing pressure to enforce its financial fair play regime tightly, and this case will test the limits of the governing body's authority and the extent to which clubs can employ complex financial structures to gain a competitive advantage.
The outcome will not only determine City's future competitive standing but also set a precedent for how clubs that potentially bend the rules are treated by the Premier League and its independent auditors. For now, Guardiola's message of unity remains in the foreground, as he urges the City faithful to support the club through the crisis and reminds them that the club's identity and achievements are woven together by a shared passion, regardless of the legal battles ahead.
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