Man City Premier League charges: Pep Guardiola sends message of support to former club

Pep Guardiola has posted a message of support to Manchester City's players, staff, fans and ownership saying: "We will get through this together. I love you all."

Man City were found guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules by an independent commission.

The independent commission found that between 2009/10 and 2017/18, Manchester City arranged "sham" contracts with a number of its commercial partners as part of a "disguised funding scheme" to artificially inflate the club's revenues by £830m.

The club continue to deny the breaches, with chief executive Ferran Soriano calling the process a "Premier League conspiracy theory" in a video message to players and staff. The club have confirmed they will appeal against the ruling and have until Friday October 2 to do so.

Guardiola, who was City manager between 2016 and 2026, posted on social media: "I want every single Manchester City fan across the world 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 [Maresca] and you, our unique supporters.

"Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all."

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Klopp responds to City judgement

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool missed out on the Premier League title to Guardiola's City by a point in both the 2018/19 and 2021/22 seasons.

Asked in 2024 about the potential of City being stripped of their titles, Klopp said: "If you organise a bus parade, I am in! How long it takes, I don't care how long it takes!"

However, Klopp, who is now the Germany head coach, was far more serious in his response when asked about City being found guilty by the independent commission.

"I really haven't given it much thought, but of course I've noticed it," Klopp said in a news conference ahead of Germany's Nations League fixture against Serbia.

"I also remember what I said: 'If there's ever a victory parade, I'll be there'. It doesn't feel like that anymore. It's not that I feel I have to have a bus parade. I can just sit back and wait for it to happen.

"I have huge respect for Pep Guardiola and the football City played during the time we were up against them. The sort of football they put on the pitch, the sort of opponents they were for us. It's far too big. The standard is far too high.

"If any sanctions are imposed, I've got nothing to do with it. And that's why I'm waiting to see what happens. The legal proceedings have been going on for a long time; I assume there will be an appeal, which will take ages.

"I'm a long way from preparing myself for it in any way, and I've got absolutely no sense of it.

"I don't need to be Premier League champions a few more times. I'm completely happy with what we've achieved. We battled it out on the pitch, and I can't say anything about the rest because I don't know exactly what it's all about. To be honest, I'm not interested either."

News and analysis after Man City guilty verdict

As the football world continued to digest news of Man City's guilty verdict, on Wednesday:

• Man City's principal sponsor, Etihad Airways, is considering taking legal action against the Premier League.
• Premier League clubs have begun working with barristers and lawyers across the country over the prospect of bringing further litigation against Manchester City, Sky Sports News understands.
• The Independent Football Regulator reiterated their powers to assess the suitability of club owners.
• Prime Minister Andy Burnham says he would be "really concerned" if Man City's owners decide to sell up.
• Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher called for Manchester City to be stripped of their titles won during the period in focus - and for the club's ownership to be removed. This is the impact if City's honours were stripped.

• Hull City's owner Acun Ilicali has told Sky Sports News that Man City should face a "big punishment" if they fail to prove their innocence.
• The 'disguised funding scheme' used by Manchester City changed the football landscape from 2009. Sky Sports features writer Nick Wright looks at how City's status was transformed through the course of the nine seasons in the investigation.
• Several Manchester City sponsors are standing by the club in the wake of the guilty verdict, with Lucozade, Kellogg's, Revolut, BYD, Joie and PUMA all telling Sky Sports News they are not commenting on the independent commission's findings while the process remains ongoing.
• Manchester City Women boss Andree Jeglertz insists it is "business as usual" for his squad as they prepare to take on Real Madrid in the Champions League.

What did the independent commission find?

• Manchester City arranged "sham" contracts with a number of its commercial partners as part of a "disguised funding scheme" to artificially inflate the club's revenues by £830m.
• The club filed accounts that concealed the true state of its finances.
• Manchester City were significantly in breach of both the Premier League's and UEFA's spending limits and broke "well over 100" Premier League regulations.
• Manchester City failed to co-operate and act in good faith towards the league during the investigation, with three out of four alleged breaches upheld and one charge not proven

The commission also said it was "regrettable" that a decision had taken so long to reach, with the hearing having taken place between September and December 2024.

Man City: Process was not impartial

A Manchester City statement released on Tuesday read: "Manchester City FC is both disappointed and surprised by the opinion of the Premier League commission, that has been published today.

"The club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions, relating to this case. The club will therefore be relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums.

"The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements uncompleted. Manchester City FC will now pursue the appeal avenues open to it, on the basis that the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe.

"The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.

"The club is obviously restricted in what it can say further until all future proceedings are complete."

Manchester City's statement erroneously refers to a Premier League commission. It is an independent commission.

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