Premier League rivals behind charges against Man City –Guardiola

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has accused some Premier League clubs of being behind the 101 breaches of financial rules against them.

The City boss said he believed the self-interest of City's Premier League rivals was behind the charges.

Guardiola said this at his pre-match press conference on Friday, ahead of Sunday's clash with Aston Villa.

“They open a precedent now, with what they have done to us.

“Be careful in the future because many clubs can make suggestions and a lot of clubs can be accused, like we are accused, without being innocent.

“When they push to get rid of us, it is obvious they believe we didn't behave properly. We can accept that, but let us defend (ourselves),” he said.

However, the City boss, who has won four Premier League titles in the past five years, said he believed the latest case would end in the same manner as a previous UEFA charge.

City were banned for two years from UEFA competitions in February 2020 by European football's governing body for “serious financial fair play breaches”, but the sanction was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport later that year.

“My first thought is that we have already been condemned,”

“In case we are not innocent, we will accept what the judge or the Premier League decide. But what happens if in the same situation that (the) UEFA (case) happened, we are innocent? What happens to restore or pay back our damage?”

Guardiola recently extended his contract at the Etihad until 2025. His seven-year stay in Manchester is already the longest of his managerial career.

“I'm not moving from this seat. I can assure you more than ever I want to stay,” he said. “Sometimes I have doubts because seven or eight years is a long time but now I don't want to move on.

“People say ‘they lied to you'. They didn't lie to me. Look what happened at UEFA.

“Now it is the same case. Why should I not trust my people and trust the other CEOs of the other clubs?”

City have not been their usual force on the pitch in recent weeks, with three defeats in their past six matches, and they trail Arsenal by five points at the top of the Premier League.

But he does not believe the off-field drama will distract his players ahead of a crucial period.

AFP