Pep Guardiola to make Manchester City return amid financial rules breach fallout

Pep Guardiola will return to Manchester City to watch next week’s game against Paris Saint-Germain in another sign he is continuing to stand by his former club after they were found guilty of 114 charges levelled by the Premier League.

The Catalan, who posted a message on Instagram in support of the club’s owners and executives, had long insisted they were innocent of the charges of breaching the Premier League’s financial rules.

Guardiola stood down in the summer, before an independent commission concluded City used “sham” contracts to boost their revenue by over £900m over a nine-year period.

City, who have continued to maintain they have “irrefutable” proof they are not guilty, are appealing against the verdict, but potential punishments include expulsion from the Premier League or a points penalty that could make relegation inevitable or likely.

Guardiola, who is now a global ambassador for the City Football Group, was not personally accused or charged, but wrote on Instagram last week: “I want every single Manchester City fan across the world to know I am here; more than ever. I am, always have been, always will, be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, [CEO] Ferran [Soriano], the players, staff, [manager] Enzo [Maresca] and you, our unique supporters. Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all.”

Soriano is an ally of Guardiola’s from their time at Barcelona while Maresca was his assistant in the 2022-23 season, when City won the Champions League.

The Premier League charges covered the period from 2009 to 2018, including the first two seasons of Guardiola’s decade-long reign. City were Premier League champions in 2017-18, with a record 100 points.

Guardiola left in May after winning 20 trophies, including six Premier Leagues and the club’s first Champions League. They named a stand at the Etihad Stadium after him and this will be his first return since then.