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.”
News and analysis after Man City guilty verdict
As the football world continued to digest news of Man City’s guilty verdict, on Wednesday:
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- 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.
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.
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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.
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“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.
