Pep Guardiola is set to return to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, October 14, when Manchester City host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, marking his first visit to the stadium since leaving the club at the end of last season.
The former City manager’s return comes days after an independent Premier League commission found the club guilty of all charges relating to serious breaches of the league’s financial rules and three of four alleged breaches concerning its failure to cooperate with the investigation.
The commission found that City had arranged “sham” commercial contracts and agreements that misrepresented the true arrangements with some commercial partners. It concluded that the schemes artificially inflated the club’s revenues and reduced its costs by more than £900 million between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons.
The findings also stated that City filed misstated accounts and concealed the true state of its finances from auditors and football regulators. The Premier League said the club was also significantly in breach of its own spending limits and those imposed by UEFA during the period covered by the case.
City has strongly rejected the findings and maintains that it is innocent of the accusations. The club lodged a comprehensive appeal on October 1, arguing that the commission’s decision contained material errors of law, principle and fact.
The appeal will be heard by an independent three-member Appeal Board, with the proceedings remaining private and confidential until publication of the outcome is permitted. The board has the power to allow or dismiss the appeal or vary the commission’s decision.
Guardiola has publicly backed his former club following the verdict. In a message to City supporters, he reaffirmed his support for the club’s ownership, chairman, chief executive, players, staff, manager Enzo Maresca and supporters, saying they would get through the situation together.
The 55-year-old spent almost a decade in charge of City after joining in 2016, winning six Premier League titles and the club’s first Champions League trophy among 20 major honours before stepping down at the end of last season.
His return to the Etihad will therefore come at a significant moment for City, as they prepare to face Paris Saint-Germain while challenging the commission’s findings through the appeal process.
The Champions League fixture will also mark Guardiola’s first appearance at the stadium since his departure, with his presence providing a public show of support for the club as its legal battle with the Premier League continues.
