Pep Guardiola spotted for the first time on Tuesday since the news of Manchester City’s suspected financial irregularities surfaced. He was looking fed up or exhausted from all the controversies surrounding his employers.
On Tuesday morning, the Premier League revealed the devastating results of their four-year investigation, throwing the defending champions into disarray.
The shocking, ground-breaking charges, however, had to be hastily set aside as Guardiola, 52, got ready for Sunday’s home game against Aston Villa.
The City manager was seen watching his team in action while perched on a drinks cooler box and appeared to be deeply involved.
Less than twenty-four hours following the loss to Tottenham in North London, his players continued with their workouts on the fields.
Guardiola had bemoaned the “exhausting” travel to the city, but it was obvious that he had little sympathy for his stars after the defeat.
In the game, players like Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, and Kalvin Phillips who did not begin the game were called in and put to the test.
When Aston Villa arrives at the Etihad, Guardiola would hope to lead his team to victory in front of his home fans
Guardiola has a lot on and off the field to consider as well.
City was accused by the Premier League of breaking more than 100 financial regulations and not cooperating with the inquiry.
The allegations center on hiding the genuine source of money, fabricating information regarding the pay of players and former manager Roberto Mancini, as well as violating Premier League and Uefa rules.
City’s punishment, if found guilty by an impartial committee, may include transfer bans, point deductions, spending caps, title forfeitures, and even ejection from the Premier League.
Although there is no guarantee City would be demoted to the EFL, their top-flight rivals will demand it.
In a belligerent statement, angry City vowed they will be “vindicated,” but Premier League teams want blood and a prompt decision and punishment before the season is over.
The consequences for City and even Pep Guardiola might be disastrous should they be proven guilty.
If it turned out that the club’s owners had lied to him about any misconduct, the former Barcelona manager threatened to resign as manager.
What Pep Guardiola Feels About Financial Fair Play
He said in August 2022 that he would not want to run a team that he believed had broken the financial fair play standards.
Pep Guardiola remarked: “I said to our people, ‘Tell me’ about the suspicions. I looked at them and believed them 100 per cent from day one so I defended the club because of that.”
“I did say, ‘If you lie to me, the day after I am not here. I will be out and you will not be my friend any more.”
“I like to represent a club that is doing things properly. In the end, it’s not about winning the Champions League or Premier League, it’s about always doing it well, for our people and our fans.”
“What CAS said meant a lot. It broke all the suspicion.”
“I can not forget that nine teams in the Premier League pushed to sack Manchester City from European competitions, I know who they are.”
The Etihad side has consistently denied wrongdoing and will probably assemble a sizable legal team of knowledgeable attorneys to fight their case, even if they are unable to take it to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as the club did in 2020 with the Uefa appeal.
What Comes Next For Pep’s Man City?
City must answer to the allegations by February 23. Before then, the composition of the three-person commission, which will be led by a senior attorney, would have been confirmed by Murray Rosen, head of the League’s Judicial Panel.
Although the Premier League was unable to provide a timeline last night, a hearing may be held as early as next month.
If the decision was against them, both parties would have the right to request that an appeals body hear the testimony again.
