Pep Guardiola has backed Manchester City's owners and hierarchy after the club were found guilty of Premier League financial rule breaches, vowing full support.

Updated on: Oct 1, 2026, 19:09:55 IST

Prefer HTon Google

Share via
Copy link

Pep Guardiola has shown emphatic support for Manchester City’s ownership and senior hierarchy after the club was found guilty of breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations by an independent commission. The ruling was a major blow to City, as they were found to have used “sham contracts” to disguise secret funding amounting to about £830 million with their commercial partners during the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.

City were found guilty of all charges linked to the financial regulations, and of all but one charge concerning their failure to cooperate with the league’s investigation. However, the eight-time Premier League champions rejected the commission’s findings and denied any wrongdoing. The club maintains that the prime evidence in their defence in this development has either been ignored or not given enough weight during the proceedings.

Immediately after the findings were revealed, the City issued its own statement, saying it was “both disappointed and surprised” by the latest turn of events. The Chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, has said they still believe they can prove their innocence. While Chief Executive Fran Soriano has defended the club’s position, telling the staff and players that the “irrefutable evidence” has been ignored by the commission.

Guardiola stands firmly with his former club

Deep Dive

Powered ByAsk

Pep Guardiola, who played the role of the club’s manager from 2016 till last summer, has now made his position clear. He has backed the club, its ownership and its senior leadership without any hesitation. “I want every single Manchester City fan across the world to know that I am here; more than ever,” the Spaniard wrote in a post on his official PepTeam account on X. “I am, always have been, always will, be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran (Soriano), the players, staff, Enzo (Maresca) and you, our unique supporters. Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all.”

Notably, while still in charge, Guardiola said he would stand by the club even if punishment for the charges eventually led to relegation. From that standpoint, his intervention now comes as a significant development. The Spanish coach has been synonymous with City’s modern success. While being in charge of City for a decade, he won six Premier League titles, including four on the bounce from 2020-21. Guardiola also led the club to Champions League glory, three FA Cups and five League Cups. With all these accolades, he is considered the defining manager of the club during its most glorious era.

While showing support for the club, Guardiola has proven his loyalty to them in a tough time. Although he no longer holds the office, his statement serves as a crucial moral boost for Manchester City as they prepare to challenge the ruling through the appeals process.

See Less