“We’ll get through this”: Pep’s message to Man City fans

Pep Guardiola has sent a message to Manchester City fans amid their 'sham' contract scandal.

He insists he is behind club CEO Ferran Soriano, current manager Enzo Maresca and everyone else involved in the embattled club.

"I want every single Manchester City fan across the world to know I am here; more than ever," Pep wrote on Instagram.

"I am, always have been, always will, be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran, the players, staff, Enzo and you, our unique supporters.

"Let me be clear: we will get through this together.

"I love you all."

Guardiola led City to six Premier League titles - the first coming in season 2017/18 - as well as three FA Cups and a maiden Champions League title.

$1.7bn cheat sham: "Guilty" Man City face EPL expulsion

Manchester City has been found guilty of all charges laid against them in a $1.7 billion cheating scandal and are facing the real prospect of being kicked out of the Premier League.

A Premier League statement has revealed an independent commission has found the club to be "guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period".

City arranged 'sham' contracts amid their many financial breaches.

The commission found the following occurred between 2009/10 and 2017/18:

• Manchester City arranged ‘sham’ contracts (which misrepresented the true agreement between the parties) with a number of its commercial partners, as well as relying on ‘sham’ agreements with others, to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce its costs;
• The club filed misstated accounts and concealed the true state of its finances from its auditors and football regulators;
• Manchester City was significantly in breach of both the Premier League’s and UEFA’s spending limits;
• During the Premier League’s investigation, Manchester City committed multiple breaches of its duties of co-operation and utmost good faith towards the League (three of the four alleged breaches were upheld)

Richard Masters, Chief Executive of the Premier League, said: “The core decision establishes the facts of what happened at Manchester City during this period. It details how the club systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade.

“It also vindicates the Premier League’s decision to pursue this case against Manchester City. While the process to date has been both long and difficult, the League has remained determined that the facts be established independently.

“It is a key responsibility of the Premier League to ensure that the Rules, approved by the clubs themselves, are upheld to protect the integrity of the competition. It is paramount that the League remains competitive and fair for all clubs and for the fans. We take that role extremely seriously.

“This disciplinary case, and this decision, are the most significant in Premier League history. There are elements of the case that remain to be decided, including, importantly, what sanction must follow for these breaches. Now we have the Commission’s decision, we are committed to moving swiftly through the remainder of the process, to provide certainty for the League, our clubs and fans.”

According to the UK Telegraph, a hearing to decide the disgraced club's fate will take place in the coming weeks.

City have until Friday to appeal the decision.

David Bernstein, the former chairman of the club and later the Football Association, told the Telegraph: “I don’t think the club can remain in the Premier League.

“It is damning beyond belief. I don’t think I’ve seen anything like this; I don’t think any of us have in our lifetimes.

“I’m a supporter of 70 years, so I feel this very, very personally. I don’t think the club can remain in the Premier League.

“There’s a school of thought with lawyers that is deny, deny, deny, but this is a football club that is part of a league and the whole credibility of the league is at stake here.

“I would go as far [to stay it is a deep-seated form of fraud] and if it is, I’m not a lawyer but as a thought this is something so serious that it goes beyond the football authorities.

“The sanctions cannot just be financial, so it’s got to be way beyond that. 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.”

It's being dubbed "one of the biggest scandals in football history" and could see City kicked out of the Premier League after the club was found guilty of an enormous list of financial rule breaches.

The club has been found guilty on 114 out of 115 charges laid against them by the Premier League and now faces sanctions ranging from mammoth fines to being excluded from the league altogether.

The Premier League has not yet officially confirmed or commented on the verdict and no punishments have been confirmed.

While the club is expected to appeal the charges - which relate to their trophy-filled period of 2009 to 2018 - there could be implications for others clubs that stand to claim retrospective titles.

During the period under investigation, City won three Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups and the Community Shield.

According to the UK Telegraph, "it is understood Premier League clubs are already discussing legal action and possible compensation claims as a result of the guilty verdict."

Other UK media outlets claim that four clubs - Man United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham have already served legal notices outlining their intent to claim for $200 million in compensation each.

City have always denied the allegations against them and issued only a short statement to the Athletic.

“The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality," it read.

“As such Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the club’s statement of February 2023.

“The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”