Former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has reaffirmed his support for the club following an independent commission’s findings that the Premier League champions breached a number of financial regulations.
Guardiola, who spent nearly a decade in charge of City before leaving last summer, said he would continue to stand behind the club’s ownership, leadership, players, staff and supporters.
In a social media message, the former manager said he was “always” going to be behind Manchester City and expressed confidence that the club would overcome the situation together.
The Premier League confirmed that City had been found guilty of charges relating to financial-rule breaches between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.
The independent commission found that the club had arranged what it described as “sham contracts” with several commercial partners as part of a scheme involving more than £830 million in undisclosed funding.
Manchester City has continued to deny wrongdoing and has until October 2 to appeal the commission’s findings.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak previously said the club remained confident it could prove its innocence, while chief executive Ferran Soriano claimed that evidence presented by the club had been ignored.
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Guardiola’s latest comments echo his earlier position on the long-running case. In November 2024, he said he would remain with City even if the club were relegated as a result of the charges.
During his time at the Etihad Stadium, Guardiola guided Manchester City to six Premier League titles, including a record four consecutive league championships, as well as the UEFA Champions League, three FA Cups and five League Cups.
Former City defender Micah Richards, however, said he was deeply affected by the commission’s findings, describing the reports as troubling and expressing concern for supporters who now face uncertainty over the club’s achievements.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher also criticised City’s response to the findings, arguing that the case could affect how the club’s titles and achievements are viewed.
Manchester City, owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group, has described itself as disappointed and surprised by the guilty verdict and is preparing its appeal.
