Pep Guardiola Issues Defiant Message Amid Premier League Charges on Manchester City

• Pep Guardiola has vowed to stay put as the club battles serious financial charges
• Guardiola had previously threatened to leave the club if there were issues with its accounts
• However, the Spanish Head Coach has reiterated that he feels safe at the club

Pep Guardiola has for the first time issued a statement since Manchester City were charged with multiple counts of financial wrongdoings.

The Head Coach has in the past made it clear that he would walk away from the club if they ever lied to him about their financial books.

An image of Guardiola looking distraught during a training session this week sent shockwaves that the highly successful tactician might make good on his threat.

However, speaking ahead of Manchester City's clash against Aston Villa on Sunday, Guardiola confirmed that he was at the club to stay.

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Football

"I want to stay"

The 52-year-old has called for people to exercise the notion of 'innocent until proven guilty.' He has vowed to stay put at the club as they fight off the charges.

"I am not moving from this seat, I want to stay. More than ever, I’m sure. They did not lie to me. Look what happened with UEFA, we did not do anything wrong. Why should I not trust my people?"

He also accused other Premier League clubs of advocating for their downfall.

"Of course - it is the Premier League. I don't know why. You have to ask the CEOs, Daniel Levy, these kinds of people," as quoted by Sky Sports.

The former Bayern Munich and Barcelona head coach made reference to a Champions League ban the club got in 2020. However, they successfully appealed the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) and were fined instead.

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Football

Independent commission to decide City's fate

Sports Brief had earlier reported that an Arsenal member has been appointed as the head of the independent commission that will look into the financial breaches levelled against Manchester City.

The Premier League has charged the top-flight competition's defending champions with close to 100 counts of bending financial rules. The current investigation has been ongoing for close to four years, with the alleged breaches happening between 2009 and 2018.

Murray Rosen KC, who lists himself an Arsenal member in his bio, is now set to head the commission to determine whether the Citizens are guilty.