Pep Guardiola has taken to social media to voice his unwavering support for everyone linked to Manchester City—players, staff, supporters and the club’s owners—stating, "We will get through this together. I love you all." The message came at a turbulent time for the club, which has just been found guilty of multiple serious breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations by an independent commission. The commission’s investigation covered the period from the 2009/10 season through to 2017/18. It concluded that City had set up a series of so‑called "sham" contracts with several commercial partners.
These arrangements were part of what the panel described as a "disguised funding scheme" designed to artificially boost the club’s reported revenue by roughly £830 million. The findings represent the most significant financial scandal in English football in recent memory. City have consistently rejected the allegations. Chief executive Ferran Soriano labelled the whole process a "Premier League conspiracy theory" in a video addressed to the squad and back‑room staff.
The club has confirmed that it will lodge an appeal against the ruling, with a deadline of Friday, 2 October, to submit the formal notice. Under Premier League regulations, any appeal must be resolved within 12 weeks of filing, the hearing itself can last a maximum of five days, and the board will then have a further 30 days to issue its final decision. Guardiola, who managed the team from 2016 until 2026, posted a heartfelt statement: "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 ramifications of the verdict have sparked a wave of commentary across the footballing world. Jurgen Klopp, whose Liverpool side missed out on the Premier League title to Guardiola's City by a single point in both the 2018/19 and 2021/22 campaigns, was asked in 2024 about the prospect of City being stripped of their trophies. His initial reaction was light‑hearted: "If you organise a bus parade, I am in!
How long it takes, I don't care how long it takes!" However, when pressed about the independent commission’s findings, Klopp adopted a more measured tone during a press conference ahead of Germany’s Nations League match against Serbia. "I really haven't given it much thought, but of course I've noticed it," Klopp admitted. "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 happen." He went on to express admiration for Guardiola and the level of football City produced during their head‑to‑head encounters: "I have huge respect for Pep Guardiola and the football City played while we were up against them. The kind of football they displayed, the quality of the opposition they presented—it was massive. The standard was far too high." Regarding potential sanctions, Klopp stressed his detachment from the legal process: "If any sanctions are imposed, I've got nothing to do with it.
And that's why I'm waiting to see what happens. 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." He concluded by reflecting on Liverpool’s achievements, downplaying the need for 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." The verdict has also prompted a formal response from Manchester City. In a statement released on Tuesday, the club expressed disappointment and surprise at the commission’s opinion, insisting on its innocence.
The club claimed to possess "a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence" supporting its position and vowed to be "relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums." It further accused the Premier League process of being incomplete and argued that the opinion contained clear material errors of law, principle and fact, rendering it unsafe. City also highlighted that it had 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 statement noted that the club was limited in what it could say publicly until all proceedings concluded. It is worth noting that the club’s statement mistakenly referred to a "Premier League commission" when, in fact, the body conducting the investigation was an independent commission appointed to examine the financial matters.
As the football community continues to digest the ramifications of the guilty verdict, the appeal process looms large. Should City succeed in overturning the findings, the immediate threat of title stripping could be averted; if not, the Premier League could face one of the most dramatic retroactive punishments in its history, potentially rewriting the record books for the 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2020/21 seasons, among others. Beyond the legal battle, the situation raises broader questions about financial fair play, transparency, and the governance structures that oversee elite football clubs.
The case may prompt other clubs to scrutinise their own accounting practices and could lead to stricter oversight from the league and UEFA. For fans, the uncertainty adds an emotional layer to an already passionate rivalry. Guardiola’s message of solidarity underscores how deeply intertwined the club’s identity is with its supporters, who have stood by the team through triumphs and now through controversy. Regardless of the outcome, the episode will likely be remembered as a defining moment in modern football—a clash between sporting excellence and financial regulation that will shape policy and perception for years to come.