City were charged in February 2023 following a four-year investigation into alleged financial rule breaches spanning the period between 2009 and 2018 — a window that overlaps by two years with Guardiola's own tenure at the Etihad Stadium. The club strongly deny all charges and have described their case as supported by "a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence." A verdict from the independent commission has not yet been delivered, more than three years after the charges were first brought.
Asked why he had defended the club so consistently during his tenure, Guardiola was direct: "I trust them. I spoke with them and trust how they behave and how they did. What happened, happened."
He acknowledged that neither players nor staff had been at the club during the period in question.
"There will be a resolution, but nobody from the staff, from the backroom staff, or mainly the players and the manager was here."
Finance expert Stefan Borson told talkSPORT this week that he expects the verdict to arrive in early June, shortly after the season concludes. Legal sources suggest the hearing — which ran in December 2024 — is unlikely to produce a decision before the summer.
Guardiola, 55, was confirmed as a City Football Group ambassador after his departure and said he would take a break from football before returning to management in due course. When asked whether he would return to Manchester for a press conference if a verdict is eventually delivered, he smiled: "If you find me — but that will be difficult."
He departs with 20 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the 2023 Champions League.