Pep Guardiola has reiterated his promise to stay at Manchester City even if the club is relegated as punishment for their alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules.
Guardiola signed a new two-year contract this week to extend his stay as City manager to more than a decade, ending speculation over his current deal that was due to expire at the end of the season.
The 53-year-old has won 18 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League while at the Etihad, although is experiencing his toughest period having lost four consecutive games.
A hearing into Man City’s 115 charges for allegedly breaking the Premier League’s rules is also under way but Guardiola insists he will stay with the club regardless of the outcome.
“You have my interviews here that say the same, so not because now I extend the contract and pretend to be, ‘Oh how nice is Pep?’,” said Guardiola ahead of Man City’s fixture against Tottenham on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
“I said six months ago, one year ago when all the clubs accused us of having done something – what happened if you got relegated? I will be here. I don’t know the position of the conference they’re going to bring us, we’re going to come up and come up, we’re going to come back to the Premier League. I knew it then, I feel it now.”
More to follow.
Man City’s next five Premier League fixtures
November 23: Tottenham – live on Sky Sports
December 1: Liverpool (a) – live on Sky Sports
December 4: Nottingham Forest (h)
December 7: Crystal Palace (a)
December 15: Man Utd (h)live on Sky Sports
