As Manchester City braces for its significant legal showdown, Pep Guardiola has taken a firm stance on the matter.
The Premier League is set to examine 115 alleged breaches of financial rules, and Guardiola has emphasized that City is innocent until proven guilty.
Responding to La Liga president Javier Tebas’s assertion that other Premier League teams are eager to see City face consequences, Guardiola acknowledged, “Maybe he’s right.”
City’s Stance
Guardiola agrees with Tebas for the first time, expressing, “All the Premier League teams want us to be sanctioned, that is for sure.”
He added, “But justice is there in a modern democracy—so we should wait for the decision.”
According to Guardiola, City firmly believes in their innocence.
“We go to an independent panel and we are going to wait. Good,” he said, stressing that the players have not delved into the legal intricacies, humorously noting, “Erling (Haaland) is not a lawyer, so we didn’t talk about it.”
The Legal Process
The upcoming legal proceedings, set to start in an undisclosed location, mark a pivotal moment in football’s history.
Manchester City’s reputation as a dominant force in the sport is on the line.
The case will unfold in secrecy, with the Premier League’s efforts to compel City to provide evidence being a significant aspect.
Mail Sport’s courtroom challenge was crucial in allowing the reporting of this legal action.
The Charges
City will face accusations that they manipulated financial fair play regulations by channeling funds through sponsorships to present a more favorable financial status.
The Premier League’s case, reviewed by an independent disciplinary commission, will focus on allegations that City’s Abu Dhabi owners disguised investments to bypass financial regulations.
Out of the 115 alleged breaches, 54 concern inaccurate financial reporting.
Evidence and Key Figures
Much of the evidence is expected to come from the Football Leaks website, managed by Rui Pinto.
Pinto’s revelations, published by Der Spiegel in 2018, have been controversial and are central to the case.
Despite City’s dismissal of Pinto as a mere hacker, his information has significantly impacted past investigations, including a previous UEFA suspension that was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in 2020 due to timing issues.
Looking Ahead
The Premier League’s investigation will not be restricted by any time limitations, unlike previous cases.
Manchester City remains confident in their defense and hopeful for a resolution that will lift the cloud of suspicion hanging over them since the charges were first brought two years ago.