Pep Guardiola committed to Man City despite relegation risk
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said he is committed to the club whatever the outcome of their outstanding legal case with the Premier League over alleged financial breaches.
Guardiola’s two-year contract extension was announced on Thursday after months of speculation that he could leave the club at the end of his old deal, which was set to expire at the end of the season.
Speaking ahead of his team’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur, the Catalan coach said he would stay at the team even if the independent panel deems the club guilty and they are relegated.
“I said six months ago, when all the clubs accused us to have done something wrong, what happened if we are relegated — I will be here,” he said at the news conference.
“Next year, if we are in the Conference we will come up to the Premier League. I knew it then, I feel it now.”
The Premier League charged City on 115 counts of financial regulations in February 2023 after initially opening an investigation five years earlier.
The charges related to a 14-season period from 2009-10 onwards and comprise 54 counts of failing to provide accurate information, 14 counts of failing to provide accurate details for player and manager payments, seven counts of breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR), five counts of failing to comply with UEFA regulations including financial fair play (FFP) and 35 counts of failing to cooperate with Premier League investigations from 2018 onwards.
City strongly deny all the charges, and claimed in a statement released in response to the initial charges that they have “irrefutable evidence” to support their position and “look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”
The hearing started in September.
