Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says his club have already been "condemned" following an investigation from the Premier League.
The Premier League charged the Citizens with over 100 breaches of its financial rules on Monday, following 2020's two-year competition ban from UEFA over Financial Fair Play breaches.
That ban was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) – but now, Guardiola has said that despite the club proving their innocence in the past, the other 19 clubs in the Premier League are accusing his club of wrongdoing, now.
"The club proved they were completely innocent," Guardiola said. "What's happened since Monday is the same as what happened with UEFA. We have already been condemned.
"You have to understand that 19 teams in the Premier League are accusing us without us having the ability to defend.
"We are lucky we live in a marvellous country where everyone is innocent until proven guilty. We didn't have this opportunity, we are already sentenced. I am fully convinced we will be innocent."
Despite rumours that he could resign if City are found guilty, the Catalan said that he's more committed than ever – and even joked about bringing Paul Dickov out of retirement if the club are relegated.
"I am not moving from this seat, I can assure you. I want to stay more than ever," he revealed.
"We have already been in the lower divisions. We will be back there? Not a problem. We will call Paul Dickov and Mike Summerbee and we will do again.
"But they should wait. The Premier League put it there, but they should wait. We are going to defend ourselves, like we did in the UEFA situation."
More about Manchester City being charged by Premier League with breaking financial rules
After Manchester City were charged with breaking financial rules by the Premier League, one former financial advisor to City has claimed that the club must be relegated from division, if the allegations are found to be true.
Manchester City will be able to appeal sanctions to CAS, either, the body that they appealed to over their UEFA charges. Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, has in the past claimed that he will step aside, should it be proven that he has been lied to by the City ownership.
‘Slot hasn’t come in and changed everything, making it all about himself – it’s been about the players he’s inherited, getting the best out of a system he likes’: Liverpool manager impressing former players with personality and tactical approach
‘We thought we’d signed him, but Chelsea blew us away. I think they signed him so we couldn’t have him, as much as because they really wanted him’: Liverpool actually failed to sign Mohamed Salah in 2014, three years before finally getting the Egyptian
