For the first time since receiving accusations from the Premier League on Monday for several alleged financial rule violations, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola gave a fiery pre-game press conference on Friday.
The current Premier League champions were slammed with 115 allegations earlier this week for suspected financial violations. They may lose points or be kicked out of the division if found guilty.
Guardiola on Man City’s FFP charges
“We are fortunate to reside in a nation where innocence is presumed until proven guilty. Our verdict has already been rendered. I have no idea what will happen.”
“We have competent counsel and want to argue our case. What happens will affect time. We’ll wait to see what the Premier League and a judge decide.” Guardiola continued.
“We are innocent, just as we are with UEFA. No problem, we’ll move to the lower division. We had already been there. Paul Dickov and Mike Summerbee will be contacted again, and we’ll build an excellent plan.”
“The club speaks with each of us. We, our followers, and our people have benefited during the past seven years. But to prepare for Aston Villa, we have trained as usual. What happens will be decided by the court.”
“I do not doubt that we will be found innocent. Everyone is presumed innocent in this nation until proven guilty. It is now up to the attorneys for each side to defend both of them.”
“The duration will exceed one, two, and three months. We are aware of what transpired with UEFA and will observe that.”
“This narrative is not entirely original. This story has been told twice. I do not doubt that we will prove to be innocent. It has always been that way since Abu Dhabi seized club control. What will transpire after that?”
Pep Guardiola's ????????? press conference where he defends Manchester City against the Premier League charges ?? pic.twitter.com/SW5juCsxiU
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) February 10, 2023
Pep Guardiola quashes exit rumours: I want to stay more than ever
After the Premier League accused Manchester City of breaking 115 financial rules, Pep Guardiola promised to stay at Man City. He declared himself even more committed.
Guardiola, whose deal at the Etihad Stadium runs through 2025, linked the allegations to those City faced in 2020 when they were first barred from the Champions League, but the Court of Arbitration quashed the suspension for Sport.
“I’m not getting up from this seat,” he declared. “I want to stay now more than ever, I can promise you that. I don’t want to move right now.”
“Not due to what people say. Pep, they lied to you. They didn’t tell me lies. Consider what occurred with FIFA.”
“They asked me, ‘What happened?’ Pep, we made no mistakes. We provided evidence for it. The situation is the same.”
? Pep Guardiola on his future:
"I'm not moving from this seat. I can assure you more than ever I want to stay. Sometimes I have doubts, seven, eight years [in the Premier League] is a long time, but now I don't want to move on." ? pic.twitter.com/pqt4DnZ9uE
— ManCityzens (@ManCityzenscom) February 10, 2023
Pep Guardiola names nine clubs who wanted Man City out of the Champions League
Nine English clubs have come under fire from Pep Guardiola for trying to knock Manchester City out of the Champions League.
“While we wait for Uefa to rule against us, Burnley, Wolves, Leicester, Newcastle, Spurs, Arsenal, [Manchester] United, Liverpool, and Chelsea were left out of the Champions League despite wanting that spot,” according to Guardiola
“There are only interests, it is claimed, not enemies or allies. They want to take the position we won on the field by putting it out.”
“They claim you must be eliminated from the Champions League. You must travel to League One, League Two, or the Conference.”
“They should wait; the Premier League put it there. Like we did in the Uefa case, we will protect ourselves.”
“What happened with Uefa is exactly what has happened since Monday. We have already received a judgement. “I am certain we will be innocent,” you must realise that 19 Premier League teams are accusing us without giving us a chance to respond.”
