Guardiola breaks silence after Man City found guilty of inflating income by £830m

Pep Guardiola has spoken for the first time since Manchester City were found guilty of almost all of the 115 charges against them. The former City manager has reiterated his backing for the owners and the board in a social media message in which he insists he stands by the club 'more than ever'.

• Manchester City were found guilty of overstating their income by more than £830m across eight seasons.
• Guardiola says he is and always will be behind the club, its owners and its supporters.
• The club has confirmed it will appeal and insists it has irrefutable evidence to support its case.
• The sanction has still not been disclosed, with relegation or stripped titles among the expected possibilities.

What Pep Guardiola said about Manchester City's guilty verdict

Guardiola responded to the ruling with a post on Instagram, writing that he wants every Manchester City fan around the world to know he is there more than ever. He was emphatic in saying he has always been and always will be behind his club, its owner, the chairman, chief executive Ferran Soriano, the players, the staff and the supporters.

I want every single Manchester City fan across the world to know I am here; more than ever. I am, always have been, always will, be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran, the players, staff, Enzo and you, our unique supporters.

The message ends with a call for unity: 'Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all.' It is the coach's first public reaction since the independent commission's decision became known.

The charges the commission found proven against City

The independent commission, appointed after a four-year investigation to rule on charges covering the period between 2009 and 2018, concluded that the club had arranged sham contracts with a number of its commercial partners. It found that City's income over eight seasons had been hugely overstated by more than £830m.

Manchester City, the current Premier League leaders, have strongly denied the breaches. Chief executive Ferran Soriano branded the process a 'Premier League conspiracy theory' in a message sent to players and staff.

City confirm appeal and stand by their innocence

The club has until Friday 2 October to file its appeal, and has already confirmed it intends to do so. In a statement, City said they were both disappointed and surprised by the opinion of the Premier League Commission.

Manchester City maintain they hold a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence supporting their position and have promised to be relentless in their appeal. The board insists the ruling does not reflect the reality of the club's financial practices during the period under investigation.

What punishment Man City could face and how it could affect Guardiola

The sanction has not yet been revealed, but relegation or the stripping of titles won during the investigated years are among the possibilities being discussed. A decision of that magnitude would directly affect Guardiola's honours at the Etihad Stadium.

Two of the trophies he lifted during his time in Manchester came within the period under scrutiny: the Premier League title and the League Cup in 2017-18. That was the first of six top-flight crowns he would go on to win before leaving the club at the end of last season, closing one of the most decorated chapters of his career.

The response from City's dressing room and board

Guardiola's message aligns with the club's official stance, which has rallied around the ownership and the executive team since the verdict emerged. City's strategy is to exhaust every legal avenue available and argue that the process has been compromised from the start.

Supporters have received the manager's position as a gesture of commitment to the project. Guardiola stepped down from the City bench at the end of last season, but his bond with the institution remains strong, as shown by his reaction to the biggest institutional challenge the club has faced in the modern era.