Manager Pep Guardiola gave a surprising answer when asked what kind of punishment would make him leave Manchester City, because of the financial violations the club is accused of committing in the Premier League.
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“I will only be able to respond when a sentence is issued. For now we are innocent, we have to wait and see what happens. If we are guilty, I know there are people who want it to be correct, but we have to wait and see, then we will give explanations. I have more chances of staying if I fall to the Fifth Division than winning the Champions League”, declared the coach, in a press conference this Friday (24).
The question is placed in the context of Everton’s punishment for violating the Premier League’s Financial Fair Play. The traditional club lost 10 points in the current English Championship table. Guardiola does not think that City’s situation has become more complicated due to this punishment.
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“It’s the lawyers who have to defend themselves before the judge. I haven’t changed my opinion, we’ll wait and accept the resolutions. I don’t know what happened at Everton, they are two completely different cases, but I know there are people telling City to be relegated. Last month I already said that, if we did something wrong, we will be punished”, he said.
It is worth remembering that this Friday’s press conference took place on the eve of the game between Manchester City and Liverpool, at the Etihad stadium, in the Premier League. The two teams compete for the lead in the competition and are separated by just one point (28 to 27, respectively).
“In the last decade, since I arrived here, he has been our toughest rival. (Klopp) has made me a better coach, he and his teams have always been great rivals.”