People want Manchester City to “disappear off the face of the earth” over 115 charges, insists Pep Guardiola | OneFootball

Manchester City are wanted to “disappear off the face of the earth” over their ongoing 115 charges case, manager Pep Guardiola has insisted.

The hearing into the Premier League champions’ well-documented 115 charges for alleged breaches of the English top-flight’s financial rules began last week, with the club having been charged and referred to an independent commission in February 2023.

That concluded a four-year investigation in Manchester City from the Premier League, where it was alleged that the Etihad Stadium operation had breached the division’s financial rules between 2009 and 2018.

In a stance maintained by the club since the first emergence of the charges, Manchester City strongly deny all put towards them, and have also said that their case is supported by a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence”.

Speaking during a recent press conference, Pep Guardiola insisted that he wants to defend Manchester City consistently, especially given the ongoing circumstances that face the club and the belief amongst most rival fans that the Etihad Stadium side must disappear.

“I’m sorry to be sometimes arrogant and I want to defend my club,” Guardiola said. “Especially in this modern day, like everyone is expecting us to be not relegated, but to disappear off the face of the earth, in the world.”

Guardiola continued, “I would say that we have better afternoons than the opponents. We will have better, better days. Better days than the opponents, that’s why we win a lot. It’s not much more complicated to understand than that.”

The hearing involving Manchester City and the Premier League taking place in London is expected to last around 10 weeks, according to various media reports, which would take us into late November.

Once the hearing is concluded, it must be stressed that there will not be an immediate judgment, and an exact date for any verdict is unknown, with some reports suggesting that a decision could arrive ‘early in 2025’.

Pep Guardiola has previously spoken about his delight that the hearing is finally taking place, having told the media earlier this month, “It starts soon and hopefully finishes soon. I am looking forward to the decision.

“I’m happy it’s starting on Monday. I know there will be more rumours, new specialists about sentences. We’re going to see. I know what people are looking forward to, what they expect, I know, what I read for many years. Everybody is innocent until guilt is proven. So we’ll see.”