Pep Guardiola has taken to his social platforms to reassure everyone connected with Manchester City – players, staff, supporters and the club’s owners – with a heartfelt message: "We will get through this together. I love you all." This statement comes at a turbulent time for the club, which has just been found guilty of every charge relating to serious breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations by an independent commission. The commission’s report details that, between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons, Manchester City allegedly set up a series of "sham" contracts with a number of commercial partners.
These contracts were part of what the investigators described as a "disguised funding scheme" designed to artificially boost the club’s revenue figures by roughly £830 million. The club has consistently denied any wrongdoing. Chief executive Ferran Soriano has labelled the investigation a "Premier League conspiracy theory" in a video addressed to players and staff, and City have confirmed they will lodge an appeal against the ruling, with a deadline of Friday, 2 October to do so. Guardiola, who managed the team from 2016 until 2026, posted a longer note on social media, emphasizing 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." His words were meant to calm a fanbase that has been rocked by the prospect of the club’s recent successes being called into question. Under Premier League rules, any appeal filed by Manchester City must be concluded within 12 weeks of submission.
The hearing itself can last a maximum of five days, after which the board has 30 days to issue a final decision. This procedural timeline means the club’s legal team will be working intensively over the coming weeks, while the broader football community watches closely. The fallout has sparked a wave of commentary from rival managers.
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 possibility of City being stripped of their trophies. Klopp replied with his trademark humour: "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 guilty verdict, 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 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 happen." He went on to acknowledge the high standard set by Guardiola’s side: "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’s far too big.
The standard is far too high." Klopp added that any sanctions imposed would be beyond his control and that he would simply wait for the legal process to run its course. "I'm a long way from preparing myself for it in any way, and I've got absolutely no sense of it," he admitted. "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 football world continued to absorb the ramifications of the guilty verdict on Wednesday. The independent commission also expressed regret that the investigation had taken so long, noting that the hearing spanned from September to December 2024.
Manchester City issued a formal statement on Tuesday, describing the commission’s opinion as both "disappointing" and "surprising". The club asserted its innocence, claiming that a "comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence" supports its position and that it will pursue every regulatory and legal avenue available. City emphasized that the Premier League process remains incomplete and that the club will appeal on the grounds that the opinion contains clear material errors of law, principle and fact, rendering it "unsafe".
In the statement, City also highlighted its respect for due process over the past 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 limited in what it can say publicly until all proceedings are 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 is an independent commission, a distinction that underscores the complexity and sensitivity of the case. Beyond the legal drama, the situation has prompted broader discussions about financial fair play, transparency in football financing, and the role of governing bodies in enforcing rules.
Critics argue that the scale of the alleged scheme, if proven, could set a precedent for how clubs manage sponsorship and commercial deals, potentially reshaping the financial landscape of the sport. Supporters of City, meanwhile, contend that the club has been unfairly targeted and that the punitive measures could damage the competitive balance of the league.
As the appeal process unfolds, fans can expect a series of hearings, legal filings, and possibly further statements from both the club and the Premier League. The outcome will not only affect Manchester City’s trophy cabinet but could also influence future governance reforms within English football. In the meantime, Guardiola’s message of unity and love remains a rallying cry for a community eager to see its beloved club emerge from the controversy intact.