Pep has lost the run of himself altogether
*******************************************
“My first thought is that we have already been condemned. Since Monday it is like what happened with UEFA. The club proved that they were completely innocent, why should I think right now, with just charges of suggestions?
“You have to understand that the 19 teams of the Premier League are accusing us without (any) opportunity to defend ourselves. You know exactly on what side I am.
“We are lucky we live in a society where everybody is innocent until proven guilty. We didn’t have this opportunity. (People say) we are already guilty. I think we have good lawyers but the Premier League — supported by 19 teams — are going to take good lawyers too.”
City were not “found innocent” by UEFA. Instead, the club were found guilty by Europe’s governing body of committing “serious breaches” of Financial Fair Play regulations between 2012 and 2016. But the Court of Arbitration for Sport later overturned their two-year ban from European club competitions.
Guardiola added: “If we are not innocent we will accept what the judge or Premier League decide, but what happens if it’s the same as UEFA and we are innocent? What happens to restore our damage?
“There are no enemies or friends, there are just interested (parties). The same articles, the same accusations, it’s exactly the same as before.
“If we are guilty we will go to the lower divisions like before, we will call Paul Dickov and Mike Summerbee.”
“Man City proved that we were completely innocent with the Uefa case. Why should I not think [that] right now?” Guardiola said. “I have to defend this club as much as possible.”
Guardiola insists that he plans to stay at the club regardless of the outcome.
“More than ever I want to stay,” Guardiola, who is contracted until the summer of 2025, said. “I don’t have any doubts.”
The City manager said he had spoken to City’s chief executive Ferran Soriano and the chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak since the charges were issued on Monday. “They didn’t lie to me. I trust my people,” he said. “My chief executive explained everything to me. You know what side I am on.”
Guardiola said that the other 19 clubs in the Premier League, nine of whom complained to the Premier League about City, were to blame for the action that had been brought against the club.
“They [the other clubs] have opened a precedent,” Guardiola said. “[They need to] be careful…”
He added: “One week after [the Uefa charges]. Nine teams — Burnley, Wolves, Leicester, Newcastle, Spurs, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, [Manchester] United [complained].
He added in a sarcastic tone: “We live in a marvellous country where everyone is innocent until proven guilty. We didn’t have this opportunity [to defend ourselves]. We are already sentenced.”
