Pep Guardiola demanded that his Manchester City players support him “unconditionally” after seeing the club hit with 115 Financial Fair Play charges.
- News of FFP breaches broke in February 2023
- Coach ensured there were no distractions
- Led City to a historic Treble triumph
- WHAT HAPPENED?
Back in February 2023, following a four-year investigation, it was revealed that City stood accused of breaching Premier League rules regarding FFP. They are still waiting to discover their fate, with sanctions expected to be imposed at some stage.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Guardiola has been eager to avoid seeing attention diverted away from matters on the field, with City in the midst of a historic Treble challenge when making unfortunate headlines away from the pitch. The start of that saga was caught on camera, with the Blues starring in the new Netflix documentary ‘Together: Treble Winners’.
WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID
After learning of the alleged financial breaches, which sparked talk of the club being relegated out of the English top-flight, Guardiola delivered a typically passionate team talk to his squad. He said, with City locked in a battle for domestic supremacy with north London giants Arsenal: “Support me unconditionally. I want this Premier League (title) more than ever. Everything we have won, has been on the pitch, always. I love the club. I love you too. I want my warriors.”
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WHAT NEXT?
City would go on to land the Premier League title for a third successive year, before adding FA Cup and Champions League honours to their glittering CV. They remain in contention to defend all of those trophies in 2024, with Guardiola continuing to turn a deaf ear and blind eye to events off the pitch.
First published by: Goal