‘I am here’: Pep Guardiola throws support behind City despite guilty verdict
Former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has declared he’s behind the club and its owner after City was found guilty of all 115 charges in relation to financial breaches.
Guardiola took to his official Instagram page on Wednesday to put his support behind the powerbrokers at the club and its fans amid the current scrutiny.
"I want every single Manchester City fan across the world to know I am here; more than ever," Guardiola wrote.
"I am, always have been, always will, be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran [Soriano], the players, staff, Enzo [Maresca] and you, our unique supporters.
"Let me be clear: we will get through this together."
Guardiola’s post accompanied a photo of him with City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak among others.
The 55-year-old led City to 15 major trophies during his 10 years at the club from 2016 to 2026.
After an investigation that lasted over three years, an independent commission found between 2009 and 2018 City arranged “sham” contracts with multiple commercial partners that were part of an initiative to disguise secret funding.
City has denied all wrongdoing and is likely to submit an appeal before October 2. No sanctions have been announced.
CEO Ferran Soriano was confronted and asked a series of questions by the BBC and Sky Sports UK at a function and chose to offer no comment to reporters.
The club instead released a video statement in which Soriano described the verdict as a “Premier League conspiracy theory”.
“This has gone on for so long that it’s important to remind ourselves that the whole Premier League case against us is based on a single false accusation; that the owner’s personal money was somehow and secretly put into the club via some sponsors from Abu Dhabi,” he said.
“This is just not true. Irrefutable evidence has been provided to the Premier League commission that shows that it could not happen and that it did not happen.
“This includes bank statements, money transfers, witnesses, and everything necessary to categorically demonstrate the money did not come from the owner.”
Soriano reminded fans his club successfully overturned a two-year ban from European club competitions that was imposed by UEFA for breaching Financial Fair Play regulations.
Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Chairman of Manchester City speaks with Ferran Soriano. Getty Images
Manchester City is owned by UAE vice-president Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan through the Abu Dhabi United Group which has the holding company City Football Group.
Club ambassador Micah Richards, who played for City from 2005 to 2015, said he was “absolutely devastated” by the news.
“I was at that club since I was 14 years old, I would die for that club. I achieved my dream at Manchester City, but then to hear these reports, and not only me as an ex-player, but the fans, what they have to go through, absolutely devastating,” he said on The Rest Is Football.
