Guardiola backs City after guilty verdicts in financial case

Pep Guardiola has told Manchester City fans he is behind the club after it was found guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules.

The message was reported on 30 September 2026, a day after the verdicts were confirmed. City were found guilty of all charges relating to a nine-year period, in a case that will shape how supporters remember this era.

Guardiola, 55, posted on social media to back the club he managed for a decade. “I want every single Manchester City fan across the world to know I am here; more than ever,” he said, as reported by The Guardian.

He added “we will get through this together”. In the same message he said he is, always has been, and always will be behind his club, owner and chairman, according to Sky Sports.

Guardiola also named chief executive Ferran Soriano, the players, staff, Enzo Maresca and supporters. Soriano is the executive who brought Guardiola to England. The pair had previously worked together at Barcelona.

Guardiola left City in the summer of 2026 after 10 years in charge. His time brought 20 trophies. His first two seasons at the club fell inside the period examined by an independent commission, the panel set up to rule on the charges.

After stepping down as manager, Guardiola was confirmed to continue as a global ambassador for City Football Group. The role involves technical advice to group clubs and work on specific projects and collaborations.

The charges were first brought in February 2023. They centred on the league’s financial rules, which require clubs to give a true picture of their spending and income. The headline charges included failing to provide accurate financial information, and reporting around the verdicts referred to £900m of ‘sham’ contracts, as reported by The Guardian.

As of 30 September 2026, City maintained their innocence. The club were set to appeal before Friday’s deadline. Soriano described the verdicts as based on “a single false accusation”.

Reaction has split the wider City family. Former chairman David Bernstein, who led the club between 1998 and 2003, called the situation “beyond awful” and said the current board should stand down. Midfielder Rodri insisted City ‘deserved’ their success despite the guilty findings.

For fans, this means two stories running at once. One is about medals and memories from 10 years under Guardiola. The other is about paperwork, appeals and what happens next.