The Premier League has reportedly found Manchester City guilty of the vast majority of 115 financial rule breach charges. This bombshell news dropped after a deep dive review into the club’s last 20 years, finally bringing to a head a torrent of speculation and vitriol that has hounded City for ages. It’s a heavy hit, and it makes you look back at everything Pep Guardiola said while he was there, especially considering he just departed this past summer.
Guardiola Faced the Fire, Even After a Treble
It feels like Guardiola was always on the front line defending City, even though most of the 115 charges for the 2009-2018 period fell outside his time as manager. When an investigation into City’s financial dealings first broke in 2018, he played it cool, directing reporters to the club’s statement of innocence. But then came the articles from *Der Spiegel*, pulling info from Football Leaks, alleging that former City manager Roberto Mancini got extra payments in a side deal with Abu Dhabi club Al Jazira. Suddenly, Guardiola’s own legitimacy was on the table. After City demolished Watford 6-0 in the 2018/19 FA Cup final to lock up an unprecedented domestic treble, he was asked about his own wages. His reply was pure incredulity: “Honestly, do you think I deserve to have this type of question? The day we won the treble, did I receive money? Are you accusing me of receiving money?” You can just feel the frustration there, right?
His “If You Lie To Me” Stance Hits Different Now
Then came February 2020. UEFA found City guilty of breaching its Financial Fair Play rules, again sparked by those Football Leaks revelations. That’s when Guardiola drew his line in the sand. “When Manchester City are accused of breaching Financial Fair Play, I ask the board. They explain it to me and I believe them. But I tell them: ‘if you lie to me, I will leave and I will no longer be your friend’.” Talk about putting your integrity on the line! City’s appeal was ultimately upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, overturning a two-year Champions League ban. Guardiola didn’t back down, even when Jurgen Klopp called it “a bad day for football” and Jose Mourinho branded it “a disgrace.” Guardiola shot back, “Jose and other managers should know: we were damaged; we should be apologised to. We have the right to defend ourselves when we believe what we have done is correct. Three independent judges said this. It was a good day for football as we play with the same rules as all the clubs in Europe.”
Guardiola ultimately departed this past summer after 10 seasons, leaving behind an incredible 20 trophies, with Enzo Maresca stepping into the manager role. He always stuck by the club’s narrative, but with this “guilty” verdict for the vast majority of those 115 charges, his past words about integrity and leaving if he was lied to just hang heavy in the air. What this verdict means for City’s standing in the league, and the long-term impact on their legacy, feels like the next massive chapter in this saga.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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