Man City FFP: Chairman gives Guardiola update on outcome after relegation odds are slashed
Man City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak has assured Pep Guardiola that the club “will be cleared” of the 115 Premier League financial fair play charges hanging over them.
The Citizens were charged in February 2023 with more than 100 breaches of the competition’s financial fair play regulations dating back to 2009.
Man City have been under the spotlight more this season with Everton, and more recently Nottingham Forest, given points deductions for breaking FFP rules.
Guardiola’s side won the Premier League title on Sunday and are on course to win a Double if they can beat Man Utd in the FA Cup final at the weekend.
It comes after Man City won the Treble last term and to many critics of the club, which is supported by the vast wealth of owner Sheikh Mansour, the Premier League charges cast a shadow over their success.
There are strong rumours that Guardiola will likely leave the Premier League club at the end of the next season in 2025 but chairman Al-Mubarak, director of football Txiki Begiristain and managing director Ferran Soriano have moved to assure the Spaniard over the charges the club are facing.
‘Khaldoon Al-Mubarak’s relationship with Guardiola is closer than ever. The City chairman ate with Guardiola and his staff on the night before the second leg of the Real Madrid game and chats with the Catalan after every match in a room near to the dressing room.
‘Al-Mubarak, managing director Ferran Soriano, and Begiristain have assured Guardiola that City will be cleared when Premier League charges against the club over alleged breaches of financial regulations are heard later this year, reportedly in October.’
It came after news earlier this week that bookmakers have slashed their odds on Man City to be relegated next season with some offering 25/1 for the Citizens to go down, in contrast sides like Liverpool and Arsenal are priced at around 2000/1.
That appears to be in response to speculation that Man City could face relegation from the Premier League if they are found guilty of breaching the league’s financial rules, which they strongly deny.
Speaking earlier this week, Man United legend Gary Neville insists the charges Man City are facing will continue to cloud Guardiola’s success until they are “cleared”.
Neville said: “What Pep [Guardiola] has done, in not even a short period of time, you can’t deny that if someone put Pep top [manager in Premier League history], I wouldn’t say you’re out of order, I’d just say Sir Alex [Ferguson].
“If someone said Pep Guardiola was top, I wouldn’t say your wrong. I’m likely to go with Sir Alex [Ferguson] anyways aren’t I, and I certainly don’t want to mention the 115 charges [against Manchester City] but until that’s cleared, I think we do have to have a little bit of a ‘but’ until that’s cleared.”
Neville added: “You’re measuring him being the best based on his success, but his success would have been built on foundations that were rule-breaking if they are found guilty. That’s the foundation.”
