Pep Guardiola has been accused of being “a fraud, blind or a hypocrite” after publicly supporting Manchester City following the club’s conviction for breaching Premier League financial rules.
An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of all the alleged financial-rule violations covering nine seasons, from 2009/10 to 2017/18. The club was also found guilty of three of four charges relating to its failure to co-operate with the Premier League’s investigation.
The period under scrutiny includes two seasons during Guardiola’s time at the club, including the campaign in which he won his first Premier League title.
In a strongly worded column for The Times, journalist Matthew Syed questioned the legacy of the former Manchester City manager and whether he knew about the alleged breaches.
“We now know that he ran a corrupt club, driven by corrupt contracts, funded by corrupt companies, during what we can now call a corrupt era,” Syed wrote.
Manchester City spent more than one billion euros during the period covered by the investigation. Syed argued that Guardiola faced two possible explanations.
“Either Pep knew, in which case he is not a visionary or a legend but merely a fraud, or he did not know, in which case he is the most short-sighted of men,” he said.
“I am not a forensic accountant, but I have questioned Manchester City’s financial arrangements for more than a decade, despite receiving constant insults and threats. Did Pep see nothing? Is he blind?”
Syed added: “Of course, there is a third alternative, which is hypocrisy.”
He concluded: “There is no doubt that Guardiola is a great strategist who has achieved success at several clubs. But let us be frank: his legacy will remain confined to his time at the Etihad Stadium, where the accountants performed the real magic, not the manager.”
Guardiola declares full support for Manchester City
Guardiola issued his first statement after the announcement of Manchester City’s conviction on Wednesday, expressing his continued backing for the club where he spent nine seasons.
During that time, he won every available trophy, including six Premier League titles and one Champions League.
“I want every Manchester City fan to know that I am here, more than ever,” Guardiola said. “I have always been, and I still am, and I will always be, supporting my club, its owner, its chairman, Ferran, the players, the coaching staff, Enzo and you, our wonderful fans.
“Let me assure you: we will get through this difficult period together. I love you all.”
