REALITY CHEQUE Guardiola critics told to get facts straight
PEP GUARDIOLA has come out fighting over suggestions he’s a cheque book manager.
The Manchester City boss has been stung by Jurgen Klopp’s claim that he has an unfair advantage in his quest for a fourth Premier League title in five seasons thanks to Sheikh Mansour’s billions.
City have broken the British transfer record by splashing £100million on Jack Grealish – and expect to shatter it again by bringing Harry Kane to The Etihad once their explosive season-opener at Tottenham today has been negotiated.
Guardiola has reminded his critics how he built his reputation at Barcelona on the extraordinary homegrown talents of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andreas Iniesta.
And after a frustrated Klopp suggested the champions are spending beyond their means, the Catalan fired back, insisting City’s rivals have owners who are only motivated by the money they make.
Guardiola said: “I know I had the best player I’ve ever seen in my life – Lionel Messi – but we won two Champions League at Barcelona with seven players who came from the academy.
“Two finals against Manchester United, seven players, zero cost, from the academy.
“So the reality is that each club has its own reality, its own history. And every owner of every club decides how he wants to live.
“You can win from investment – and investing a lot has helped us because we needed players.
“But Liverpool were fighting and fighting and were able to go into the market to spend on two incredible players.
“And they won. They won the Champions League, won the Premier League and all the time they were there.
“If they don’t want to spend more now, maybe it’s because they believe they don’t need it or because the owners don’t want it.”
City have been fighting the perception they don’t adhere to Financial Fair Play Regulations since winning their appeal against a shock two-year Champions League ban last year.
Guardiola has remained steadfast in his belief that the move to have City kicked out was motivated by some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Rivals Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan are amongst those clubs who are saddled with massive debts.
And while Barca have seen Messi depart to Paris SaintGermain, their former coach has been able to target Grealish and Kane to add to what is already a formidable squad bursting with talent.
Guardiola insists the capture of Grealish was only possible because of the £60m sale of Leroy Sane to Bayern Munich last year.
They have also banked £35m by selling Angelino, Jack Harrison and Lukas Nmecha this summer, while Manchester United’s capture of Jadon Sancho raised another £11m.
Guardiola said: “We have limits for Financial Fair Play and if other clubs do not agree they can go to court and make a statement – and we will defend.
“We follow the rules. What happened was that we were innocent since 2014.
“We are in 2020-21 now and every season we have passed the control of Financial Fair Play.
“But I say the same, there are owners who want benefits for themselves.
“We spend because we can do it. We don’t spend when we cannot do it. At the end, we have to produce a balance (sheet) and say ‘This is what we are, what we have and what we can do.
“Years ago, when Manchester United won a lot of Premier League titles and Arsenal won a lot of Premier League titles, it was because they spent more money than other clubs.
“Do you remember that? “At that moment Man City couldn’t do it because we did not have the owners we have now who want to be in football.
“Now there is Chelsea with Roman Abramovich as their owner and our club with Sheikh Mansour (left, with John W Henry). “They want to be in this world, they want to buy into football. What is the problem? “If we are wrong then, okay, convict us.”