Pep Guardiola has firmly rejected claims from La Liga president Javier Tebas relating to Manchester Metropolis’s alleged monetary misconduct. The Metropolis boss appeared visibly annoyed throughout Friday’s press convention when requested about Tebas’ accusations, providing a blunt response: “Subsequent!”
This comes as Metropolis await the decision on costs introduced by the Premier League in February 2023, accusing them of breaching over 100 monetary laws. The membership has persistently denied any wrongdoing, and an unbiased fee ruling anticipated this spring might decide their destiny.
The Manchester Metropolis supervisor refused to interact in hypothesis relating to Tebas’ remarks however later addressed the broader subject of why the membership has been a authorized goal for a number of footballing authorities.
“I don’t know. It occurred earlier than with UEFA, and now in a couple of weeks, it occurs with the Premier League. We’ll anticipate the choice, and after that, we’ll speak.”
Tebas, talking on the Monetary Occasions’ Enterprise of Soccer summit, alleged that Metropolis had manipulated their steadiness sheets by utilizing exterior firms to soak up bills. He claimed Metropolis’s funds function equally to the notorious Enron scandal, the place the American vitality large hid losses via a community of partnerships.
In his deal with, Tebas accused Metropolis of inflating sponsorship offers and shifting prices to entities outdoors the Metropolis Soccer Group, stating:
“Metropolis have a whole lot of firms outdoors their official group the place they put their bills. These different firms take the losses, however the membership itself doesn’t. It’s essential that each one golf equipment comply with the identical monetary laws.”
Tebas confirmed that he reported Metropolis to the European Fee in 2023 and that the grievance stays beneath investigation. He additionally in contrast Metropolis’s monetary practices to the Enron accounting scandal, a serious company fraud case within the early 2000s the place executives hid money owed and falsified earnings.
Metropolis have strongly refuted these allegations, insisting their accounts—accessible as public data—show no wrongdoing.
The unbiased fee’s ruling on Metropolis’s monetary case is anticipated by March 2025, although appeals from both facet might extend the authorized battle for months. If discovered responsible, Metropolis might face extreme penalties, starting from a factors deduction to relegation.
Regardless of the hypothesis, Guardiola stays centered on the rapid process forward—Metropolis’s FA Cup conflict with Plymouth. Nonetheless, with authorized stress mounting, the membership’s long-term future stays unsure.
