"I will be out, and I will not be their friend anymore" - Pep Guardiola's comments on Manchester City's investigation resurface

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola's comments from May 2022 suggest he would leave the club if they were found to be in breach of financial fairplay rules. The Premier League club have been charged with breaking financial rules after a four-year investigation.

The club have been referred to an independent commission for alleged rule breaches between 2009 and 2018. The Cityzens are also accused of not cooperating with the investigation, which started in December 2018.

Guardiola made a telling statement over previous allegations of Manchester City breaching FFP. He said in May last year (via Fraser Fletcher):

"If they lie to me, the day after, I am not here. I will be out, and I will not be their friend anymore. I put my faith in them because I believe them 100% from day one, and I defend the club because of that."

Guardiola joined Manchester City in 2016, so he was in the Etihad dugout for two years of the potential period in which the club breached FFP. He has always strongly defended his club against such allegations, though.

Further alleged breaches relate to Roberto Mancini's time in charge, requiring full details of manager remuneration from 2009-10 to the 2012-13 season and player remuneration between 2010-11 and 2015-16. The penalty for City's alleged breaches could be either a points deduction or even expulsion from the Premier League.

Guardiola has won the Premier League four times, the FA Cup once and the League Cup four times during his time at the club. His contract at the Etihad expires in 2025.

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Manchester City manager Guardiola blames travel for Tottenham Hotspur defeat

Pep Guardiola blamed defeat to Spurs on travel.

Manchester City are enduring trouble on the field as well as off of it. Guardiola's side suffered a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham on Sunday (February 6), with Harry Kane becoming Spurs' all-time top goalscorer with a first-half winner.

The reigning Premier League champions spurned their chance of moving within two points of leaders Arsenal, whom they now trail by five points, having played a game more. Guardiola bemoaned his side's long trip to London as a reason behind the defeat. He said (via the Times):

“Coming to London is like going to northern Europe. It is four and a half hours to get to a hotel. It’s so exhausting to come to London; I’m sorry."

Guardiola's side next face Aston Villa at the Etihad on Sunday (February 12) at the Etihad. The Spanish coach touched on that:

“We need to come back to Manchester and prepare for the game against Aston Villa.”

City will next be in action on Sunday (February 12) when they host Aston Villa in the Premier League.