After signing a new two-year contract with Manchester City this week, Pep Guardiola has boldly ruled out an exit from the Etihad club even if it is found guilty of the 115 Premier League charges and relegated to a lower division.
Currently five points behind Liverpool in the standings, Manchester City is being investigated for a variety of alleged offenses. If found guilty, the outcome could range from a point deduction to multiple relegations and expulsion from the professional game in England.
But Manchester City has always insisted it is innocent and Guardiola has come out fighting after agreeing to extend his stay into a 10th season. On a losing streak of four consecutive matches, the Citizens face Spurs at home later.
Liverpool has 4 missing vs Southampton amid Trent Alexander-Arnold and Federico Chiesa latest NOT THE FIRST TIME! Arne Slot makes feelings clear on Premier League title race with warning to Liverpool stars"I read something about how we need to be relegated immediately," Guardiola told the media before that clash with Tottenham. "75 per cent of the clubs want it, because I know what they do behind the scenes and this sort of stuff.
"I prefer not to be in that position but once it's there I love it — because you believe in your club and the people there. I believe what they say to me [about the alleged breaches] and the reasons why.
"We're awaiting the sentence in February or March. What happens if we are relegated? I will be here. But we will come up and come up and come back to the Premier League. I feel it."
Liverpool.com says: The outcome in the trial is likely to be a while off yet and even when it arrives, if Manchester City is guilty then an appeals process could begin. There is no straightforward way of predicting what might happen in the future and therefore Guardiola has to act on the assumption that nothing will happen and no sanctions will be delivered.
In the actual event, it would be fascinating to see how he felt then — and likewise with many of the players who would surely look for an exit rather than playing in the Conference. For now, that is all hypothetical and therefore easy to speculate about.
