Manchester City celebrated manager Pep Guardiola took a strong stand for his team amid intense scrutiny over the ongoing investigation into alleged 115 breaches of Premier League financial rules. With the threat of relegation looming, Pep reaffirmed that City's off-days are better than those of the rivals who constantly wish ill upon his club.
Manchester City is in a deep lurch as an investigation into the bombshell report stating 115 charges of breach in PL financial rules made by the City went on floors last week. City is accused of breaching these rules from 2009-2018 and as many as 115 charges are levelled against the treble winners.
It's important to note that the charges are serious in nature, and if proven guilty, City can face a serious point deduction penalty that can essentially force them into relegation or might face expulsion as well.
Following week one of the expected 10-week hearing process, rival teams have been on a mission to shame Manchester City over unproven allegations. Amid growing scrutiny, Pep Guardiola felt the need to step up for his team and hit back at the hating rivals.
Pep Guardiola hits out at hating rivals
Ahead of the Arsenal fixture, Guardiola told BBC that Man City's off-games are often deemed a disaster even though they have won the last six of the seven PL seasons.
""During a season, you can say, 'Oh, it was a bad season'. But for performances some people say, 'Oh, it's a disgrace, it is a disaster, it's unacceptable. No, during 90 minutes it's one bad afternoon when they were better.""Pep Guardiola
This harsh treatment towards City is unfair, and hence, Pep said that he needs to defend his team, especially at a time when everybody wants to witness the club disappear from the face of the earth. Pep reaffirmed that even on bad days, Man City is better than any other rival club whatsoever.
""But I would say - I'm sorry, I want to defend my club, especially in these modern days when everyone is expecting us not [only] to be relegated, to be disappeared off the face of the Earth, the world - that we have better afternoons than the opponents. That's why we win a lot.""Pep Guardiola
Naturally, Pep Guardiola's comments seem to stem from this ongoing narrative, where many view City as a "superclub" that is distorting competition through its spending power. This, in turn, has created a sense of hostility toward the club, with critics hoping for their downfall.
Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola, a master of deflecting external pressure onto himself and his team, often uses such comments to galvanize his squad, creating an "us vs. them" mentality.
Coming back to the 2024-25 PL season, Manchester City is seated second in the points table with four wins in as many games. After winning a historic 4th title in a row last season, City is gunning for the ultimate fifth crown, and in the pursuit, they will meet arch-rivals and top competitors Arsenal next on September 22 at the Etihad Stadium.