Pep Guardiola breaks silence after Manchester City hit with 115 alleged breaches of Premier League regulations | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has spoken for the first time since the club were hit with over 100 charges for alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules.

The six-time Premier League winners face the prospect of a potential points deduction or even expulsion from the top-flight should they be found guilty of charges relating to financial information, profitability and sustainability, player and manager remuneration, failure to cooperate and UEFA regulations.

Alleged incidents are claimed to have taken place over a nine-year period and Monday’s charges come following a four-year investigation by the Premier League.

Manchester City responded to the alleged breaches by stating that they have a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence” and that they “look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”

The Blues’ bullish stance to the charges was reiterated by manager Pep Guardiola on Friday, as the City boss addressed the media ahead of Sunday’s clash against Aston Villa.

“My first thought is we’re already being condemned. It’s the same with UEFA, we were already condemned. The club proved we were completely innocent. You know on what side I am,” said Guardiola.

“We are lucky we live in a country where everyone is innocent until proven guilty. It seems like we have already been sentenced. What is going to happen, I don’t know.

“We think we have good lawyers and I we are going to defend our position. Time will depend what happens. We will see what a judge, the Premier League decides. In the same way with Uefa, we are innocent.”

“In this country, everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Uefa’s sentence wasn’t even that. It is now down to the lawyers of both sides to defend one side and the other one.

“It will be longer than one month, two months and three months. We know what happened with Uefa and we will see that.”