Guardiola reveals verdict on Man City FFP case and issues warning over Maresca – ‘it doesn’t work’ | OneFootball

Ahead of leaving Manchester City, Pep Guardiola has been asked to comment on their FFP case and has also issued a warning over Enzo Maresca.

Guardiola has overseen an unprecedented era of dominance at Man City over the past ten years, but there has been a dark cloud hanging over the club due to their ongoing FFP case with the Premier League.

Man City are facing 115 charges for breaching the Premier League’s FFP regulations between 2009 and 2018, and could face serious sanctions if found guilty.

The Premier League club have remained insistent on their innocence throughout this process, but they face a huge fine, transfer ban, points deduction and/or expulsion from the Premier League if the case goes against them.

The hearing into this case concluded at the end of 2024, and recent speculation has indicated that a verdict is ‘expected’ this summer.

Now, Guardiola has revealed why he thinks Man City will be proven innocent.

“Because I trust them. I trust them!” Guardiola told reporters why he has backed Man City over their FFP case.

“Because I spoke with them and I trust how they behave and how they did. So what happened – there will be the resolution.

“Nobody [from] the staff, the backroom staff or mainly the players and manager was here. So it’s a long, long time ago. And I trust them. I said before what happened and I said no.”

When asked whether he would be tempted to return to Man City after the FFP case concludes, Guardiola joked: “If you find me, yeah. But it will be difficult.”

“It doesn’t work…”

It has already emerged that ex-Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca will replace Guardiola at Man City, and their current boss has issued a warning to club chiefs over his successor.

“It doesn’t work to copy and paste in this kind of job,” Guardiola warned Man City over Maresca.

“You have to be unique, natural. The new manager will be himself. The moment it starts to be a copy for another one… it has to be like that. That’s why everything is going to be good.

“I promise you if I had energy I would be here with them. But I feel they can be there and make life uncomfortable for our opponents. The squad is [in] a good place.

“Tomorrow can be ‘What’s going on? What’s happened?’ Always it was one of my focuses. When it’s going well, always I say, ‘Be careful Pep. We have to continue. We have to develop the team.’

“In this team, we can do better. Because I’m pretty sure with these players, the new manager, the staff, everyone there, they will do the job that’s required to be there.

“Being there until the end, that is the real success. Winning the trophy, yes, of course, you have to do that. That’s the final product. But being there, until the last few fixtures, being in the competition. Except Champions League this season, we have been there.”