For nearly a decade, Pep Guardiola and Manchester City were almost inseparable. Now, even after leaving the club, the former manager has made it clear that distance has not changed where he stands. Following City’s verdict in the Premier League’s long-running financial case, Guardiola turned to social media with a message aimed directly at the supporters.
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“I want every single Man City fan to know I am here; more than ever. I am, always have been, always will be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran (Soriano, CEO), the players, staff, Enzo (Maresca, manager) and you, our unique supporters. Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all,” he wrote on his official X handle, PepTeam.
It was Guardiola’s first public response since an independent commission found City guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against them. The findings cover alleged financial breaches between 2009/10 and 2017/18, although Guardiola only took charge in 2016. There is no suggestion that he was involved in the alleged wrongdoing.
The verdict has left City facing a difficult wait. The independent commission found that the club had used “sham” commercial arrangements to artificially increase revenue and reduce costs by more than £900 million ($1.2 billion), while also filing misstated accounts and breaching Premier League and UEFA spending limits. Three of four alleged failures to cooperate with the league’s investigation were also upheld. But the punishment has not yet arrived.
A separate hearing will determine the sanctions, with the possible measures ranging from financial penalties and points deductions to expulsion from the Premier League. City have maintained their innocence throughout the case and have until October 2 to appeal the findings. The Premier League has said it wants the remaining process, including any appeal, concluded as quickly as possible.
That uncertainty has naturally cast a shadow over the era Guardiola helped define.
The Spaniard left City this summer after 10 years in charge, having won six Premier League titles, three FA Cups and the Champions League among a remarkable collection of trophies. His tenure covered the final two seasons examined by the commission.
Yet Guardiola’s response was not an attempt to revisit those achievements. Instead, his message focused on the people he had worked alongside and the supporters who watched it all unfold.
City have begun life strongly under Enzo Maresca, reshaping their squad and making significant investments. Their progress on the pitch, however, now sits alongside a legal process that could reshape the conversation around their recent success.
The case itself has been years in the making. The Premier League investigation began in 2018 before formal charges were issued in February 2023. A 42-day commission hearing eventually concluded in December 2024, with the findings only emerging publicly this week.
And while City prepares to challenge the verdict, the reaction has spread well beyond the Etihad.
What are Manchester City’s rival teams saying on this?
The possibility of sporting consequences has already prompted former opponents to revisit seasons in which City stood between them and major honors.
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand joked about adding another Premier League medal to his collection, while David de Gea, who was part of United’s 2017/18 team that finished behind City’s record-breaking 100-point campaign, asked: “So… Let’s talk. How many Premier League titles have I won then?”
The debate goes beyond Manchester United. Rival clubs are reportedly assessing whether the verdict could create grounds for compensation over prize money, league positions or European qualification they believe they lost during the period under investigation.
Former Stoke manager Tony Pulis also spoke about the 2011 FA Cup final, when City defeated Stoke 1-0 at Wembley. Pulis said Stoke supporters had already been asking when they would receive their FA Cup, adding that the verdict had left him feeling “cheated.”
Still, the case is nowhere near its final chapter.
City have continued to reject the allegations and intend to appeal, while chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and chief executive Ferran Soriano have reiterated the club’s belief that it can prove its innocence. Etihad Airways, City’s long-standing main sponsor, has also said it is considering legal action after objecting to the way the findings were communicated.
For Guardiola, though, the immediate message is simpler.
Whatever happens next in the courtroom, the former City boss has chosen not to walk away from the club he spent 10 years representing. His words offered no verdict on the commission’s findings themselves, but they did remove any doubt about his personal stance toward City and its supporters.