MX23RW : Tuesday, March 11 05:59:19| >> :120:6877:6877:

Pep Guardiola: "We are innocent until it is proven"

Pep Guardiola:
© Reuters
A future ban from the Champions League is one possible sanction the Premier League champions could face from UEFA.

Pep Guardiola said he would accept any punishment UEFA may hand down to Manchester City for alleged breaches of financial fair play regulations but reiterated his trust in the club's hierarchy.

A future ban from the Champions League is one of a number of possible punishments after UEFA's club financial control body chief investigator referred City to the European governing body's adjudicatory chamber over the matter on Thursday.

The newly-crowned Premier League champions issued a statement to say they were "disappointed, but regrettably not surprised" by the news and Guardiola on Friday said the club was innocent until proven otherwise.

"I have said many times I trust the club, the people," Guardiola said on the eve of the FA Cup final against Watford.

"I'm sorry. If we did something wrong, and UEFA decide we did something wrong we will be banned or we will be punished.

"Right now I know the people are waiting for us to be guilty but we are innocent until it is proven.

"I spoke with the chairman, with the CEO, I know exactly what happened, exactly what they did and I trust a lot of them. That's all."

City's title celebrations, and the build-up to Saturday's final, have also been overshadowed by the emergence of a video which appears to show players singing a song about Liverpool fans being "battered in the street".

Brighton and Hove Albion v Manchester City – Premier League – AMEX Stadium
Manchester City's title celebrations have been overshadowed by events off the pitch this season (Nick Potts/PA)

But Guardiola denied that was accurate and said no offence was intended.

"It was not what people say," Guardiola said. "If you could imagine just for one second that we could offend about what this tragedy is about, all the Liverpool people.

"We are happy for ourselves. If someone was offended, I'm sorry, I apologise. We celebrated for ourselves and how happy we were to win this Premier League against an incredible contender."

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Ian Parker, Press Association Sport');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', '07352861-651a-4354-9b55-94ba5f9c90b1');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:uk,paservice:sport:world');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'City are innocent until proven guilty over FFP probe, insists Guardiola'});

ID:359562: cacheID:359562:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:6648:
Written by
P A
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Ajax captain Matthijs de Ligt celebrates after putting his side a goal in front against Tottenham Hotspur on May 8, 2019
Read Next:
Matthijs de Ligt 'still open to Man Utd move'
>
Read more about Pep Guardiola Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool29217169274270
2Arsenal281510352242855
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest28156745331251
4Chelsea28147753361749
5Manchester CityMan City28145953381547
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2814594738947
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton28121064640646
8Aston Villa2912984145-445
9Bournemouth28128847341344
10Fulham2811984138342
11Crystal Palace2810993633339
12Brentford28115124844438
13Tottenham HotspurSpurs281041455411434
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd2897123440-634
15Everton2871293135-433
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham2896133248-1633
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2865173857-1923
18Ipswich TownIpswich2838172658-3217
19Leicester CityLeicester2845192562-3717
20Southampton2823232068-489


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!