Guardiola Addresses Manchester City’s Financial Allegations
Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, has responded to recent comments by La Liga president Javier Tebas, who suggested that many Premier League clubs want to see City sanctioned for allegedly breaching financial regulations. With more than 100 charges levied against City, an independent commission is set to begin hearings on Monday. The potential punishments, should the club be found guilty, could range from points deductions to even relegation. Manchester City has strongly denied any wrongdoing.
Tebas’ Ongoing Criticism of Manchester City
Javier Tebas has long been a vocal critic of Manchester City’s ownership. His recent comments, published by Mundo Deportivo, indicate that many clubs in the Premier League believe that City should be punished. Guardiola, often composed in the face of such allegations, surprisingly expressed a rare agreement with Tebas, saying, “Maybe (Tebas) is right. For the fact that all the Premier League teams want us to be sanctioned, that is for sure. I agree with Tebas for the first time, and hopefully the last. I am pretty sure I agree with that.”
Guardiola acknowledges the desire among rival clubs to see City punished but urged all parties to wait for the commission’s decision, stressing the importance of due process.
Guardiola Calls for Patience
While addressing Tebas and the Premier League clubs, Guardiola advised patience and faith in the legal process. He stated, “That’s why I say to Mr Tebas and the Premier League teams, wait for the independent panel. Justice is there in a modern democracy, so yeah, wait for the decision, it’s not more complicated than that.”
Guardiola drew parallels between this situation and Manchester City’s previous UEFA case, where they were cleared of financial wrongdoing after a lengthy legal battle. “We believe that we have not done anything wrong, so we go to an independent panel, and we are going to wait. Good,” Guardiola remarked confidently, as he expressed his willingness to accept the verdict, whatever it may be.
Looking Ahead to the Commission’s Verdict
The hearing comes after more than 18 months since the Premier League first charged Manchester City. Guardiola mentioned that the legal matters were not a topic of discussion between himself, the club’s staff, or the players. He emphasised his eagerness for a conclusion, stating, “It starts soon and hopefully finishes soon. An independent panel will decide. I’m looking forward to the decision.”
Guardiola also mentioned that despite the noise surrounding the case, neither he nor star striker Erling Haaland discuss it. His focus remains on accepting whatever the commission decides. “We are not lawyers. Erling (Haaland) is not a lawyer so we didn’t talk about it,” he said, reflecting the distance maintained between the squad and the ongoing allegations.
As Monday’s hearing approaches, Guardiola remained composed and urged calm amid swirling rumours. While many speculate about the potential outcomes, Guardiola reiterated, “Everyone is innocent until guilt is proven. So we will see.”
