Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola has lent his voice over the financial rule breach charge against his team over the past few seasons.
Speaking at an English Premier League pre-match conference, the Spaniard made it known that he would take whatever the outcome is concerning the financial breach.
If found guilty, City could be heavily deducted points, expelled from the Premier League or even stripped of their titles during the alleged period of breaches.
According to him, that will not bother him at the moment.
He said “In case we are not innocent, we will accept what the judge or the Premier League decides.
“When UEFA charged us… it was the same. The same articles, the same accusations. We have been in the lower divisions. We will go back there, just in case,” Guardiola told the media without flinching.
“But what is actually possible?
According to a UK based football analyst, Bab Elliot, said understanding the onset of the madness really matters.
“First of all, we need to understand the onset of all this madness.
“These charges include different ways they have tried to inflate what they make or reduce what they spend.
“But when you get found out, it becomes a problem.
“In terms of sanctions, we don’t know how long this investigation will go on for. It could be next season. Or even the season after. Because there will be a lot of back and forth.
“But in terms of sanctions, nothing is off the table. From points deduction to expulsion from the Premier League. Some are even saying they could be sent to the National League, which is crazy.
“Also, they could be stripped of their past titles, which would be an absolute nightmare. Because what would you say to clubs that should have qualified for the Champions League and lost out on revenues from UEFA those years?”
Guardiola and City as it appears are already fighting on many fronts. And they could file out against Villa eight points behind Arsenal. Would all these affect them psychologically?
“I don’t think it will affect them that much. These City players are used to winning. Their mentality is super high.
“There will be no verdict this year. So this season will play out the way it will.
“I think Arsenal will win the league though. Because they are the best coached team in the division and they are playing amazing football. Man City on the other hand don’t look like themselves,” Elliott added.
Manchester City play host to Unai Emery’s Aston Villa in week 22 of the 2022/23 season on Saturday.
Manchester City versus Aston Villa is the first fixture the Citizens will be playing after the EPL launched the financial rules breach again them.