Guardiola would have quit if City had cheated FFP

PEP GUARDIOLA has admitted that he would have quit Manchester City if they had been found guilty of fiddling FFP.

City had a two-year Champions League ban and £25million fine imposed by UEFA overturned on appeal by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in July 2020, although they were fined £9m for refusing to cooperate with the investigation.

Now, with the champions set to face Saudi Arabia-backed Newcastle at The Etihad today, Guardiola has revealed that he always believed claims from the Blues’ Abu Dhabi-based owners that the club was innocent of any wrongdoing – and that he would have had no option but to walk away had they not been exonerated.

He said: “Every single word I have said, even if people didn’t believe it, every word I said I said was because I truly, truly believe (the club).

“When I asked about suspicions or if our people had done something, I said to them, ‘Tell me.’ I say to them, ‘If you lie to me, the day after I’m not here. I will be out and you will not be my friend any more.’

“I looked at them and believed them 100 per cent from day one. So I defend the club because of that. Because, when we put something (a sponsorship) on the shirt, they say it’s overpaid.

“They say the money has come from the state and other places but the money is correct. It might be higher but it is correct.”

Guardiola refuses to forgive or forget the nine Premier League clubs who wrote to CAS to demand that City’s ban should be upheld.

Newcastle were part of that group along with Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Leicester, Wolves and Burnley.

Guardiola added: “What CAS said means a lot to all of us. In the end it broke all the suspicion.

“Nine teams wanted to sack Manchester City from European competitions.

“They pushed and I know who they are, so I liked it when CAS did that – and they did it properly. It was good for me because of the belief I had in what the guys had done in 2012 and 2015 when I was still in Barcelona. Most who were running it then were not here when I came.

“I like to represent a club that is doing things properly. In the end it’s not about winning the Champions League or the Premier League, it’s about always doing it well, for our people and our fans.”

Guardiola believes Newcastle’s new owners will use City as a blueprint to turn Toon into a major Premier League force in the coming years.

Magpies boss Eddie Howe can expect the same grilling about human rights and finances that the Catalan has faced during his six seasons in Manchester.

Guardiola said: “I think their (Newcastle’s) intention is the same, without speaking to the Newcastle owners.

“I think that’s what they want. That’s what they are trying to do. Will they do it? I don’t know but they will try.”

City go into the game desperate for three points to maintain their charge for a fourth Premier League title in five seasons.

The Blues suffered another huge dose of Champions League heartbreak in midweek when their last-minute collapse at Real Madrid brought elimination in the semi-finals.

Guardiola has maintained throughout his reign that the Premier League means more to him than Europe.

But he can understand why their exit is being used as a stick to beat him with. He said: “I understand both sides. The Champions League is so attractive and the emotion it brings.

“The Champions League is like Sergio Aguero scoring after 93 minutes and 20 seconds. It’s comparable.

“People say the Champions League or Premier League – but both are awesome.”