Pep Guardiola took to his social platforms to rally Manchester City’s players, staff, supporters and owners with a heartfelt message: "We will get through this together. I love you all." The statement came after an independent commission concluded that the club had committed serious violations of the Premier League’s financial regulations.
The commission’s investigation covered the period from the 2009/10 season through to 2017/18. It determined that Manchester City had orchestrated a series of so‑called "sham" contracts with various commercial partners.
These arrangements were described as a "disguised funding scheme" designed to inflate the club’s reported revenue by roughly £830 million. The findings represent the most substantial financial breach in the league’s recent history. City’s hierarchy has consistently denied any wrongdoing. Chief executive Ferran Soriano dismissed the report as a "Premier League conspiracy theory" in a video addressed to players and staff, and the club confirmed that it will lodge an appeal.
Under Premier League rules, the appeal must be filed by Friday, 2 October, and the hearing can last a maximum of five days. Once the hearing concludes, the board has thirty days to issue a final decision. Guardiola, who managed City from 2016 until 2026, posted a lengthy note to his followers: "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 timing of the appeal is crucial because any sanction could potentially affect the club’s recent titles.
The Premier League’s disciplinary timetable stipulates that an appeal must be resolved within twelve weeks of filing, meaning the outcome could be known well before the next season begins. The broader football community has been quick to weigh in.
Jurgen Klopp, whose Liverpool side missed out on the league crown to Guardiola’s City by a single point in both the 2018/19 and 2021/22 campaigns, offered a mixture of humor and seriousness. When asked in 2024 whether he would attend a celebratory parade should City’s titles be stripped, Klopp replied, "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 match against Serbia, the German coach adopted a more measured tone. "I really haven't given it much thought, but of course I've noticed it," Klopp said. He recalled his earlier quip about a victory parade and admitted that the situation now felt different.
"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 continued. Klopp also expressed admiration for Guardiola and the style of football City displayed during their head‑to‑head encounters.
"I have huge respect for Pep Guardiola and the football City played during the time we were up against them. The sort of football they put on the pitch, the sort of opponents they were for us – it was far too big.
The standard is far too high," he said. Regarding any potential sanctions, Klopp emphasized 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 added.
He concluded by stating that Liverpool does not need additional Premier League trophies to feel satisfied with their achievements. "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," Klopp remarked. As the football world continues to digest the commission’s verdict, Manchester City released an official statement on Tuesday expressing disappointment and surprise at the findings. The club asserted its innocence, claiming that a "comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence" supports its position.
It promised a relentless defence in all regulatory and legal arenas, describing the commission’s opinion as riddled with material errors of law, principle and fact, and therefore "unsafe." City also highlighted 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 further comment would be limited until all proceedings are concluded. It is worth noting that the statement mistakenly referred to a "Premier League commission" when, in fact, the investigation was carried out by an independent commission.
This distinction underscores the complex legal and procedural landscape surrounding the case. The situation remains fluid.
Should the appeal be successful, City could retain its recent titles and avoid any retroactive penalties. Conversely, a failed appeal might see the club stripped of honors, a precedent that would reverberate throughout English football.
Fans, pundits and rival clubs alike will be watching the forthcoming hearings closely, aware that the outcome could reshape the narrative of the Premier League’s modern era. In the meantime, the club’s leadership, Guardiola and his supporters continue to project unity and resilience, hoping that the legal battle will conclude without further disruption to the sport they love.