Pep Guardiola: Man City boss insists financial charges facing club are 'completely different' to Everton case
- Published
'We will defend ourselves against Premier League charges' - Guardiola
Pep Guardiola insists the 115 financial charges facing Manchester City represent a "completely different" case to Everton's Premier League points deduction and cannot be compared.
The Toffees were handed a 10-point sanction after being found to have breached financial rules.
City boss Guardiola was asked if he was worried what could happen to the club after Everton's punishment.
"It's two different cases. It's not the same - honestly," said Guardiola.
Speaking on Friday before his league leaders face second-placed Liverpool at Etihad Stadium on Saturday (12:30 GMT), Guardiola added: "I spoke with my people - [they] said it is completely different.
"OK - [our] one is longer because it is more complicated because it's 115 breaches. So wait.
"Then the lawyers from both sides present their cases in front of the judge and [we receive] the verdict."
City are the only other club to have been charged by the Premier League for alleged financial breaches.
They were referred to an independent commission for allegedly breaching the rules more than 100 times between 2009 and 2018, and were also accused of not co-operating since the investigation began in December 2018.
City were charged in February - before Everton - and their case is still ongoing.
The independent commission which is overseeing the case can impose punishments ranging from a fine and points deduction to expulsion from the Premier League. City have always denied financial wrongdoing.
Asked if he would consider his future if City were expelled from the top flight, Guardiola said: "I will wait. Wait and see it, and after the sentence has been done we will come here and explain it.
"But absolutely I will not consider my future [if] it depends being here or being in League One.
"Absolutely. There is more chance to stay if we are in League One than if we win the Champions League.
"I know when people are saying - 'OK, City - why don't they go to the [National League]?' Wait. After [the decision is made] what's going to happen is going to happen.
"What people accuse us of, we do not agree with what they say.
"We are going to defend [ourselves] and after the resolution is done I will be here, like a spokesman for my club."
Meanwhile, Chelsea could face further scrutiny from football's authorities over reports former owner Roman Abramovich used offshore companies to make tens of millions of pounds worth of payments to agents which were not officially declared.
Chelsea were fined £8.6m by European football governing body Uefa in July for "submitting incomplete financial information" between 2012 and 2019 as part of a settlement for breaking Financial Fair Play rules.
Analysis
Simon Stone, BBC Sport
I could not be sure how Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola would react when I asked him about the club's Premier League charges.
Sometimes, he just closes down, while on other occasions he is quite expansive.
Guardiola has said in the past if City are found guilty he would leave but that was not the message today. Today he was vowing to stand by the club no matter what.
However, he stressed an important point. Everton were charged with breaching FFP. City have been charged with hiding sponsorship deals, paying Roberto Mancini via a third party and not co-operating.
Evidently, the cases are completely different and it may be some time before City's is concluded.
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