75% of EPL clubs want City relegated — Guardiola

Pep Guardiola said on Friday that three-quarters of the English Premier League clubs want Manchester City relegated over alleged breaches of financial rules.

But the City boss has insisted he would stay at the Etihad even if they are demoted all the way down into the fifth tier of English football.

Guardiola, who has won six EPL titles in the past seven years with City, signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday, committing him to the English champions till 2027.

A hearing into the Premier League’s 115 charges against City has been ongoing for several weeks, with a verdict expected before the end of the season.
The club have strongly denied any financial wrongdoing but could face a severe points penalty if found guilty of some or all the charges.

Guardiola too has been happy to be the public face of that defence, with the Spaniard saying, “I prefer not to be in that position, but once it’s there I love it because, when you believe in your club, and the people there – I believe what they say to me and the reasons why.

“I cannot say yet because we’re awaiting the sentence in February or March…I read something about the situation and how you need to be relegated immediately. Seventy-five per cent of the clubs want it because I know what they do behind the scenes and this sort of stuff.
“I said when all the clubs accused us of doing something wrong, (and people asked) what happens if we are relegated, (I said) I will be here.

“Next year, I don’t know the position of the Conference they are going to (put) us, (but) we are going to come up and come up and come back to the Premier League. I knew it then and I feel it now.”
Guardiola’s decision to extend his deal is also a boost during a rare period of on-field turmoil.

For the first time in the Spaniard’s managerial career, his team has lost four consecutive matches but the 53-year-old hit back at City’s critics, pointing to their success in becoming the first side to ever win four English top-flight titles in a row.

“When you are here for nine years, with a long time at one club, you live all the scenarios, all the situations.

“You’re able to lose four games in a row, but at the same time you’re able to win four Premier Leagues in a row,” added Guardiola.

City’s poor run began with a League Cup exit to Tottenham before Premier League defeats to Bournemouth and Brighton either side of a 4-1 loss at Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League.
All four losses came on the road and Guardiola is hoping for some home comforts when City return to the Etihad Stadium, where they have not been beaten in open play in two years.

“We have to start to win games, we know it. We are coming back at home, hopefully, we can perform well and start to take our rhythm,” the City coach affirmed.

AFP