Pep Guardiola took to his social platforms to reassure Manchester City’s players, staff, supporters and owners, writing: “We will get through this together. I love you all.” The message came as an independent commission concluded that the club had breached Premier League financial regulations on every count. The commission’s investigation covered the period from the 2009/10 season through to 2017/18 and determined that Manchester City had orchestrated a series of sham contracts with several commercial partners. These arrangements were described as a “disguised funding scheme” designed to inflate the club’s reported revenue by roughly £830 million.
City’s hierarchy continues to reject the findings. Chief executive Ferran Soriano labeled the process a “Premier League conspiracy theory” in a video addressed to the squad and back‑room staff, and the club announced that it will lodge an appeal, with a deadline of Friday, 2 October, to submit the paperwork.
Under Premier League rules, any appeal must be resolved within 12 weeks of filing, the hearing itself cannot exceed five days, and the league’s board then has a further 30 days to issue a final decision. Guardiola, who managed the team from 2016 until 2026, used his post to stress his unwavering loyalty: “I want every single Manchester City fan across the world to know I am here; more than ever. I am, always have been, always will, be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran, the players, staff, Enzo [Maresca] and you, our unique supporters.
Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all.” The fallout has reignited debate about whether the club’s recent Premier League crowns could be stripped. Jurgen Klopp, whose Liverpool side lost the title to Guardiola’s City by a single point in both the 2018/19 and 2021/22 campaigns, responded with a mixture of humor and seriousness. When asked in 2024 whether he would attend a celebratory bus parade if City’s titles were rescinded, Klopp quipped, “If you organise a bus parade, I am in!
How long it takes, I don’t care how long it takes!” Yet, at a press conference before Germany’s Nations League clash with Serbia, the former Liverpool boss took a more measured tone. “I really haven’t given it much thought, but of course I’ve noticed it,” Klopp said. “I also remember what I said: ‘If there’s ever a victory parade, I’ll be there.’ It doesn’t feel like that anymore.
It’s not that I feel I have to have a bus parade. I can just sit back and wait for it to happen.” He went on to praise Guardiola’s side, noting the high standard of football they displayed when Liverpool were their opponents.
“If any sanctions are imposed, I’ve got nothing to do with it. The legal proceedings have been going on for a long time; I assume there will be an appeal, which will take ages. I’m a long way from preparing myself for it in any way, and I’ve got absolutely no sense of it.” Klopp added that he is content with Liverpool’s achievements and does not feel compelled to chase additional Premier League titles: “I don’t need to be Premier League champions a few more times. I’m completely happy with what we’ve achieved.
We battled it out on the pitch, and I can’t say anything about the rest because I don’t know exactly what it’s all about. To be honest, I’m not interested either.” Meanwhile, the independent commission expressed regret that its decision took so long to materialise, noting that the hearing spanned from September to December 2024.
Manchester City issued a statement on Tuesday, describing itself as “disappointed and surprised” by the commission’s opinion. The club asserted that it is innocent of the accusations and that “a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions.” City vowed to be “relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums.” The statement also claimed that the Premier League process remains ongoing, with “significant elements uncompleted,” and that the club will pursue all appeal avenues on the grounds that the opinion contains “clear material errors of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe.” City further emphasized that it has respected due process for eight years, trusting that the Premier League board and executives would act as an independent, impartial regulator free from partisan influence. The club noted that it is “obviously restricted in what it can say further until all future proceedings are complete.” It is worth noting that the club’s statement mistakenly referred to a “Premier League commission,” whereas the body conducting the inquiry is an independent commission, a distinction that underscores the legal nuances of the case. As the football community continues to digest the verdict, attention now turns to the appeal timetable and the potential ramifications for City’s recent successes.
If the appeal fails, the Premier League could impose sanctions ranging from fines to point deductions, and possibly the revocation of titles won during the period under scrutiny. Such outcomes would have a profound impact not only on City’s trophy cabinet but also on the broader competitive balance of English football.
Fans, analysts and rival clubs are watching closely, awaiting the next legal filing and the eventual hearing. In the meantime, Guardiola’s heartfelt message serves as a reminder that, regardless of the administrative battles ahead, the bond between a manager, his club and its supporters remains a powerful force in the beautiful game.