Addressing the media at his pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday’s league game with Bournemouth, Guardiola delivered a heartfelt and eloquent message reinforcing his emotional attachment to the Club.
The Catalan reiterated that, in the wake of the verdict announced in Lausanne on Monday by a panel of three independent arbitrators, his passion for City had only been further amplified.
And he reminded everyone that City’s success or failure going forward would be determined in the only setting that truly matters – the field of play.
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“I love this club. I love this club because I know the people here working for a long time,” Guardiola declared.
“We have our history. I love it. I like it and I like to work with the people I’m working with.
“When we do something wrong, I am the first to say we have to apologise or accept the punishment, but it wasn’t the case - it was not the case.
“I don’t want to apologise for anything. Manchester City don’t have to apologise
“Three independent judges decided we have done everything properly. It’s clear. So of course, I am going to defend my Club.
“And I am critical of my Club. Internally when I do not like something, I say it to my chairman.
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“And my chairman is not happy with me if we finish 23 or 21 points behind Liverpool, but we discuss it internally.
“So, we will try to be better next season and to compete next season but on the pitch.”
Speaking publicly for the first time in the wake of the CAS verdict, Guardiola went on to praise City’s resolute backing for him in his four years at the helm to date – and insisted he is ‘nothing without his players.’
Quizzed as to whether he felt there were any pangs of jealousy amongst rival clubs both here in England and abroad given our sustained record of success in recent years, the manager was instead unequivocal in his gratitude for the support and investment afforded him by the Club’s hierarchy
And his insisted that his reputation as one of the finest managers operating in world football was all down to the efforts of the supremely talented players at his disposal and the Club’s consistent backing for him in the transfer market
“I’m a good manager but I don’t win titles if I don’t have good players and good players are expensive,” Guardiola asserted.
“Being a good manager like I am, I’m not good enough without good players. No way.
“I am humble enough to accept that without my players I am nothing. Zero. That’s why I need my players.
“Have we spent more in the decade than in the past? Yes.
“But a lot of clubs invest. Manchester United and Arsenal in periods before when they won the leagues, they invested more than the others, Chelsea too when they won the league, they invested more money than the other ones.
“All the clubs spend a lot of money. Barcelona, Real Madrid spend a lot of money, English teams spend a lot of money
“But we (have) built a club in terms of the past decade to compete with the elite in the Premier League and Champions League - we needed to invest also in the incredible facilities here at the training ground.
“And 20 years ago, Arsene Wenger spent a lot of money to be there as did Alex Ferguson at United. All the clubs spent a lot of money to be there. All the clubs want to be on top.
“For that I need the club to be financially strong - like a lot of clubs - to do it.
“Of course, we make mistakes. But we can spend as much money as our chairman or owners want but always, always in the FFP rules.”
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