Staff behind the scenes at Manchester City expect Pep Guardiola to have already left the club before any possible sanctions for financial rule breaches hit, according to a new report.
In a bombshell announcement on Monday, the Premier League charged City with more than 100 financial rule breaches.
The charges against the reigning champions relate to financial information regarding revenue, details of manager and player remuneration, UEFA regulations, profitability and sustainability and co-operation with Premier League investigations.
Now, the Athletic report that figures at City expect Guardiola to have left his role as manager before any resolution is found.
Speaking in May 2022, Guardiola vowed:Â ‘I said to them, “If you lie to me, I am not here. I will be out”,’ which has raised questions about whether a guilty verdict would end the Catalan’s time in charge.
But the Athletic’s report suggests that there is a growing expectation that Guardiola will not still be in charge by the time any potential sanctions are levelled against City.
The matter will now be referred to an independent commission, and should the English champions be found guilty they face a range of potential sanctions including a points deduction or even an expulsion.
Guardiola was reportedly one of the first to be told of the news among City’s senior figures before it was made public on Monday.
