It’s hard to see Guardiola staying if ban is upheld, says former Blue

MICAH Richards believes it would be ‘difficult’ to see Pep Guardiola and some of City’s stars remain at the club if their two-year ban from the Champions League is upheld.

City were barred from UEFA club competitions for the next two seasons and fined 30million euros (£24.9m) after being found to have committed ‘serious breaches’ of financial regulations.

The reigning Premier League champions were said to have overstated sponsorship revenue in accounts submitted between 2012 and 2016, in findings by European football’s governing body.

But City confirmed on February 26 that they had made an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the findings by UEFA’s CFCB adjudicatory chamber.

The three-day hearing, which was conducted remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic, was closed to the public and media.

Richards believes if the ban was to be upheld then some of the club’s biggest names could look to leave the Etihad.

“You would believe that they are innocent, having come out and said they are innocent at this moment in time,” he said.

“But if you look at Pep Guardiola, Kevin de Bruyne, Sterling – these players want to be playing Champions League football.”

“I don’t know if I am talking with my head or my heart,” Richards added when asked if he could see Guardiola leaving should City’s appeal fail.

“I think he signed for a project to do amazing things. But if they were to be banned for a maximum of two seasons from the Champions League then I don’t know why he would stay.

“That is not the contract he signed but at the same time he has always said he would be loyal to City.

“It is a difficult question, but I am more to the side that they came out and said we are going to fight it.

“The Champions League is the one they have been searching for and if that was taken away for two years it would be difficult for players to stay.”