Guardiola pledges loyalty to Man City as punishment looms over financial rule breach scandal

Following a significant verdict finding Manchester City guilty of over 100 breaches of Premier League financial rules, the club's former manager Pep Guardiola publicly supported the team and its stakeholders.

Amidst uncertainty over potential sanctions, which could range from points deductions to expulsion, City plans to appeal the decision.

The case, regarded by Premier League CEO Richard Masters as the most crucial in the league's history, highlights allegations of sham financial arrangements and lack of cooperation with investigations.

Amidst speculations about severe repercussions, the club's future in the league remains in serious doubt.

MANCHESTER, Oct 1 — Former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola threw his weight behind the club on Wednesday after a bombshell verdict on Premier League financial rule breaches plunged their future into serious doubt.

The former boss broke his silence 24 hours after it was announced that the Abu Dhabi-backed club had been found guilty of more than 100 breaches of financial rules in the world’s richest domestic league.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters described the disciplinary case and the decision by an independent commission as the “most significant in Premier League history”.

He said City “systematically broke Premier League rules for nearly a decade”, adding that the league was committed to a swift resolution.

The likely punishment is uncertain but, according to Premier League rules, City could face a substantial points deduction, a fine or even expulsion from the top division.

The 10-time English champions, who continue to deny any wrongdoing, have vowed to appeal and have until Friday to do so.

Guardiola, who was a vocal supporter of the club over the issue before leaving the Etihad in May, broke his silence in a post on X.

“I want every single @ManCity fan to know I am here, more than ever,” said the Spaniard, who won six Premier League titles and the Champions League in a golden decade at the helm.

“I am, always have been, always will be, behind my club, my owner, my chairman, (CEO) Ferran (Soriano), the players, staff, (manager) Enzo (Maresca) and you, our unique supporters.

“Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all.”

‘Significant breach’

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he did not want to see the club’s Emirati owners walk away as a result of the case.

“I would be really concerned to lose them,” he told the BBC, highlighting the investment the Abu Dhabi United Group had made in Manchester, where Burnham was mayor until June.

But English football’s independent regulator, David Kogan, said that his body has the power to assess the suitability of club owners and executives “where appropriate”, when there is “clear evidence of wrongdoing by individuals”.

The Premier League, which first charged City in 2023, announced the findings of the commission on Tuesday.

The commission found City arranged “sham” deals to artificially inflate revenues and reduce costs by more than £900 million (RM4.9 billion) between 2009 and 2018, a period in which they won three Premier League titles and other silverware.

In doing so, they concealed the true state of their finances but the commission said that the club were “significantly in breach of both the Premier League’s and Uefa’s spending limits”.

The commission found the club guilty on all charges related to breaches of financial rules over the nine-year period.

They have also been found guilty of most of the charges they faced in relation to a failure to cooperate with a Premier League investigation.

Sky Sports reported that City’s stadium and shirt sponsor Etihad has categorically denied any implication the Emirati airline has been involved in improper commercial arrangements and threatened to take legal action against the Premier League.

Everton and Nottingham Forest were given points deductions in the 2023/24 season for single breaches of financial sustainability rules.

On that basis, City could face relegation given the sheer weight of the case against them.

There is speculation they could even be stripped of their titles.

“If the appeal fails, Manchester City cannot stay in the league, they have to suffer. And I say that as a supporter and a fan,” said the club’s former chairman, David Bernstein.

Former City defender Micah Richards, who was part of the side that won the club’s first top-flight league title for 44 years in 2012, said the uncertainty was “heartbreaking”.

“I achieved my dream at Manchester City, but then to hear these reports, and not only me as an ex-player, but the fans, what they have to go through, absolutely devastating,” Richards said on The Rest is Football podcast.

City have become the Premier League’s dominant force since the 2008 takeover by Sheikh Mansour, the vice-president and deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates.

The team are next in action against Liverpool at Anfield on October 11, where they will take on the club who have been their closest challengers over the past decade. — AFP

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在一项重大判决认定曼城违反英超联赛 100 多项财务规则后，该俱乐部的前任主教练瓜迪奥拉公开表示支持球队及其利益相关者。

由于可能受到的处罚尚不明朗（从扣分到开除不等），该市计划对该决定提出上诉。

英超首席执行官理查德·马斯特斯认为，此案是英超历史上最关键的案件，凸显了有关虚假财务安排和不配合调查的指控。

在外界猜测可能产生严重后果的情况下，该俱乐部在联赛中的未来仍然充满疑问。

曼彻斯特，10 月 1 日——前曼城主教练瓜迪奥拉周三力挺俱乐部，此前英超联赛关于曼城违反财政规则的爆炸性判决使俱乐部的未来陷入严重质疑。

在阿布扎比支持的俱乐部被认定在世界上最富有的国内联赛中违反了 100 多项财务规则 24 小时后，这位前老板打破了沉默。

英超首席执行官理查德·马斯特斯将这起纪律案件和独立委员会的决定描述为“英超历史上最重大的案件”。

他表示，曼城“近十年来一直在系统性地违反英超联赛规则”，并补充说，联赛致力于迅速解决这个问题。

可能的处罚尚不确定，但根据英超联赛的规定，曼城可能面临大幅扣分、罚款甚至被逐出顶级联赛。

这支曾十次获得英格兰冠军的球队仍然否认有任何不当行为，并誓言要提起上诉，上诉截止日期为周五。

瓜迪奥拉在五月份离开伊蒂哈德球场之前，曾就此事公开支持俱乐部，他在 X 论坛上发帖打破了沉默。

“我希望每一位曼城球迷都知道，我比以往任何时候都更加坚定地与你们同在，”这位西班牙人说道。他曾带领曼城度过了辉煌的十年，赢得了六次英超联赛冠军和一次欧冠联赛冠军。

“我过去、现在、将来都会支持我的俱乐部、我的老板、我的主席、（首席执行官）费兰（索里亚诺）、球员、工作人员、（经理）恩佐（马雷斯卡）以及你们，我们独一无二的支持者。

“我要明确地告诉大家：我们一定会一起渡过难关。我爱你们所有人。”

“重大违规”

英国首相安迪·伯纳姆表示，他不希望看到该俱乐部的阿联酋老板因此案而离开。

“如果失去他们，我会非常担心，”他告诉 BBC，并强调了阿布扎比联合集团在曼彻斯特的投资，伯纳姆曾担任曼彻斯特市长，直到今年六月。

但英格兰足球独立监管机构负责人大卫·科根表示，当有“个人有不当行为的明确证据”时，他的机构有权“在适当情况下”评估俱乐部老板和高管的适任性。

英超联赛于周二公布了委员会的调查结果，该委员会于 2023 年首次对曼城提出指控。

委员会发现，曼城在 2009 年至 2018 年期间安排了“虚假”交易，人为地虚增收入并减少成本超过 9 亿英镑（49 亿令吉），而在此期间，他们赢得了三个英超联赛冠军和其他奖杯。

他们这样做隐瞒了真实的财务状况，但委员会表示，该俱乐部“严重违反了英超联赛和欧足联的支出限制”。

委员会认定该俱乐部在过去九年中违反财务规则的所有指控均成立。

他们还被判犯有与未能配合英超联赛调查相关的绝大部分指控。

天空体育报道称，曼城的主场和球衣赞助商阿提哈德航空断然否认了任何有关这家阿联酋航空公司参与不正当商业安排的暗示，并威胁要对英超联赛采取法律行动。

埃弗顿和诺丁汉森林因违反财务可持续性规则，在 2023/24 赛季被扣除积分。

基于此，考虑到针对曼城的指控如此确凿，他们可能面临降级。

有传言称，他们甚至可能被剥夺头衔。

“如果上诉失败，曼城就无法留在联赛，他们将遭受损失。我以支持者和球迷的身份这样说，”俱乐部前主席大卫·伯恩斯坦说道。

前曼城后卫米卡·理查兹曾是2012年帮助球队赢得44年来首个顶级联赛冠军的成员之一，他表示这种不确定性“令人心碎”。

“我在曼城实现了我的梦想，但听到这些报道，不仅我作为一名前球员感到难过，球迷们所经历的一切也让我感到非常难过，”理查兹在“足球的其余部分”播客节目中说道。

自 2008 年阿联酋副总统兼副总理谢赫·曼苏尔收购曼城以来，曼城已成为英超联赛的统治力量。

球队下一场比赛将于10月11日在安菲尔德球场对阵利物浦，他们将迎战过去十年来最强劲的对手。——法新社

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