Pep Guardiola: City Faces Unfair Scrutiny

Pep Guardiola has expressed concern over the scrutiny Manchester City faces amid an ongoing hearing into 115 charges for alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules. As champions of six of the last seven seasons, City could potentially face severe penalties including a points deduction that might lead to relegation or even expulsion from the league if found guilty.

The club has strongly denied all charges and Guardiola believes rival teams want to see them punished. As City prepares to host title rivals Arsenal on Sunday, one week into the expected 10-week hearing, Guardiola addressed the situation while discussing criticism of his team’s performances. He pointed out that while some people quickly label a season as a failure based on isolated bad games, these do not define the overall quality of the team.

“No, during 90 minutes it’s one bad afternoon when they were better,” he stated, emphasizing that such judgments are overly harsh. Pep Guardiola defended Manchester City, asserting that many expect the club not only to be relegated but also to be “disappeared off the face of the Earth.” He highlighted the team’s achievements, noting that they have had more successful afternoons than their opponents which is why they have won so many titles.

The charges allege that City violated financial rules between 2009 and 2018 during which time they secured eight league titles, numerous domestic cups and the Champions League following their acquisition by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008. The independent commission charged the club and referred it for investigation in February 2023 after a four-year inquiry into its financial practices.