Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says the Premier League club have been already sentenced over alleged financial rule breaches in his pre-game press conference on Friday.
The Premier League charged City with more than 100 breaches of its financial rules on Monday. Manchester City were also accused of not co-operating since the investigation started in December 2018.
The Premier League referred City to an independent commission over alleged rule breaches between 2009 and 2018, during which time the club won three of their six Premier League titles. The commission can impose punishments ranging from a fine and points deduction to expulsion from the Premier League.
A two-year ban from European competitions for breaching UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in 2020.
City, who were bought by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008, said they were “surprised” by the charges and their innocence is supported by a “body of irrefutable evidence”.
Guardiola reiterated that confidence in a defiant news conference on Friday, during which he also said he believes the charges have been driven by rival clubs.
Guardiola previously said he would leave City if allegations they broke financial rules were proven.
However, he has said he had no intention of quitting.
The Spaniard said he would not be concerned even if City were relegated by the commission.
Guardiola said he does not know what will happen next but has received reassurances of City’s innocence from the club’s hierarchy.