Pep Guardiola wants a quick resolution to Manchester City's battle with the Premier League.
Charged with 115 alleged breaches of financial rules, City's case in front of an independent panel will begin next month, with a verdict not expected until next year. Potential punishments include relegation from the top flight.
They could also find themselves in the same boat as Everton and Nottingham Forest who were each deducted points last season, after the two clubs breached the league's Profit and Sustainability rules.
Everton were hit with two deductions during the 2023-24 season, relating to interest payments linked to their new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock. The Toffees were first fined 10 points, which was reduced to six following a successful appeal. They were then penalised a further two points.
Forest, meanwhile, were deducted four points after admitting to falling foul of the league's rules and City could find themselves in a similar position, and may also incur a fine.
Pep Guardiola wants a quick resolution to Manchester City's battle with the Premier League
The 2023-24 champions have also launched a separate legal case against the Premier League and are suing the Premier League over its new financial rules.
'I am happy that it starts soon and hopefully it will finish soon,' Guardiola said. 'For the benefit of all of us, especially the club but also other Premier League clubs and all the people who don't wait for the sentence.
'I wish, from deep in my heart, we go to the trial, and the independent panel as soon as possible release what happened and we will accept like always we have.'
Both City and the Premier League have the option of appealing against any verdict — although not to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the body who overturned City's UEFA ban in 2020.
Guardiola pictured with City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak (left) after last season's title win
Man City were charged with 115 alleged breaches of financial rules back in February 2023
Asked if the uncertainty could impact his squad, Guardiola replied: 'No. We have been talking about that for three or four years.'
Of the 115 charges, City are facing 54 allegations of a failure to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information from 2009-10 to 2017-18.
They are facing 14 charges for a failure to provide accurate financial reports for player and manager compensation for those seasons.
City are also facing 35 charges for failures to comply with Premier League investigations from December 2018 to the present day.
Meanwhile, Mail Sport understands that City have filed a 165-page legal document in which they have claimed they are the victims of 'discrimination' and the regulations that have been approved by their league rivals are inhibiting their success.
| Type of breach | Number of charges relating to breach | Date of trial | Date of decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failure to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information from 2009-10 to 2017-18 | 54 | ||
| Failure to provide accurate financial reports for player and manager compensation from 2009-10 to 2017-18 | 14 | ||
| Failure to comply with UEFA's regulations, including UEFA's Club and Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations | 5 | Autumn 2024 | Summer 2025 |
| Breaches of Premier League profitability and sustainability regulations from 2015-16 to and including 2017-18 season | 7 | ||
| Failure to cooperate with Premier League investigations from December 2018-present | 35 |
City welcomed back Ilkay Gundogan on Friday. Gundogan has signed a one-year contract with the option for another 12 months after leaving Barcelona.
Gundogan has moved back into his old apartment in the city centre and will again be a neighbour of Guardiola.
The 33-year-old is available for Saturday's game against Ipswich Town.
'I'm not a big fan of signing players of this age,' Guardiola said. 'But I know Ilkay quite well and know his mentality. He is a huge competitor.'