Pep Guardiola reveals stance on Man City relegation after signing new contract amid 115 charges

Pep Guardiola says helium volition stay Manchester City manager adjacent if they are recovered blameworthy of alleged breaches of fiscal rules and relegated arsenic a punishment.

City person 115 charges of alleged breaches of fiscal regulations looming implicit them, with a verdict expected to beryllium made nationalist by adjacent spring. Among the imaginable punishments mooted if City are recovered blameworthy of superior offences is relegation to the Championship.

Guardiola has been City manager since 2016 and connected Thursday gave a large boost to the nine by penning a declaration extension that volition support him successful station until the summertime of 2027.

Speaking connected Friday, Guardiola explained: “I said six months agone erstwhile each the clubs accused america of doing thing wrong, what happens if I get relegated: I volition beryllium here. We volition travel backmost to the Premier League [if that happens]. I knew it then, and I consciousness it now.”

City mislaid 4 consecutive matches successful each competitions for the archetypal clip during the Catalan’s reign earlier the planetary break, but Guardiola explained that was not the existent crushed helium committed his aboriginal to the club.

“No accidental of that,” helium said. “They privation me, for evident reasons — for the results. All my decisions successful my beingness person been connected what I consciousness successful the moment. When I’m not beauteous convinced, I wait. I thought this was the infinitesimal to stay. That was the crushed why, and successful conscionable 2 hours, we did it.”

Asked wherefore helium penned a woody worthy 2 years alternatively than the expected one-year renewal, helium said: “It’s a bully question. Mainly, I don’t privation adjacent play successful September, October, November [people saying] ‘It’s the past twelvemonth of Pep’, again, again, again. That was the main reason. I didn’t privation to beryllium successful that position.”

Guardiola besides revealed helium would not spot retired the afloat two-year word if results statesman to crook sour connected a longer-term basis.

“I would similar to enactment 2 much years, but I cognize that if the results are not bully it won’t beryllium 2 years,” helium said. “It’s similar the players. We person legendary players here, but they person to perform. If you don’t perform, our owner, chairman, fans, volition say: ‘What’s going on?’, and you person to change.

“I deliberation we [Guardiola and his coaching staff] merit to continue. I deliberation we merit to judge the contract. I merit to widen the contract, but astatine the aforesaid clip we person to bash it again. And if not, the nine has to find a solution.”