Man City FFP: Guardiola brushes off Tebas ‘complaint’ amid claim ‘sentence’ is coming within ‘weeks’
Pep Guardiola has commented on Manchester City’s Financial Fair Play situation after La Liga chief Javier Tebas raised a ‘complaint’.
Man City are facing more than 100 charges relating to alleged breaches of the Premier League’s FFP rules and a verdict is expected imminently.
The case concluded at the end of 2024 and it will be the subject of an appeal. If they are found guilty, they could be given a huge fine, points deduction, transfer ban or expulsion from the Premier League.
Earlier this week, a report revealed Tebas has submitted a ‘complaint’ and the EU are ‘investigating this active case’ after he ‘accused’ the club of ‘trying to circumvent football’s FFP rules by hiding their costs in affiliated companies and likened the situation to the infamous Enron accounting scandal of 2001’.
Guardiola was not interested in discussing Tebas’ comments, simply saying “next” three times when asked three different questions about the topic.
READ: Man City ‘fast-track new signings’ as Masters gives FFP update after ‘guaranteed relegation’ claim
When asked whether Man City are a target for rivals, he added: “I don’t know.
“It happened in the past with UEFA and in a few weeks, it’ll happen in the Premier League, the sentence [to the 115 charges], right? We wait, and after we talk.”
Guardiola has also looked ahead to Man City’s FA Cup fifth round clash against Plymouth Argyle this weekend. He commented on Oscar Bobb’s long-awaited return from injury.
“[Bobb] is getting better training yesterday and today as well but have been [out] longer than we expect but hopefully he can finish his part and can help us in the last part of the season,” Guardiola said.
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“We want to help him desperately. It is a tough period for him but always there is light at the end of the tunnel. Always has been like that in life – sport especially.”
On January signing Vitor Reis, he continued: “He is young, he came from Brazil. He has incredible focus.
“Defenders there he have great physicality and conditioning, but also are so clever and intelligent, and this is one of the ones.
“He does not come for a short period, he comes for a long, long time. We are really pleased for the way he is training and behaving and the potential that he has.”
Guardiola is also insistent that Man City’s players “over 30” have a “part” to play for the “future”, but Kevin De Bruyne could be the exception.
“Never impossible but it is difficult because when you have done what we have done it was deemed impossible before we did what we have done,” Guardiola said.
“There are players here that their age is over 30 but they are part of the future of this club.
“Except Kevin [de Bruyne], and Kevin and the club will decide on his future everyone who has a contract for next season I expect him to be here.
“They are going to help us. Next season will be a lot of games. We cannot do it just with our new ones. They will be able to help and be part of our season.”
