Pep Guardiola has insisted that he would leave Manchester City should the hierarchy ever lie to him, revealing he told the club as much during their Financial Fair Play investigation.
Speaking to the press ahead of City's clash with Newcastle United - a club whose ownership, like City's, has been criticised for state links - Guardiola stated that he did ask about Man City's financial situation when they were under investigation by FFP.
“Why did I defend the club and the people? It’s because I work with them.
“When they are accused of something I ask them: ‘tell me about that’. They explain and I believe them. I said to them: ‘If you lie to me, the day after I am not here’. I will be out and I will not be your friend anymore.
“I put my faith in you because I believe you 100% from day one and I defend the club because of that. When you put something here [sponsor] it’s overpaid, but other [clubs] the money comes from the USA but the money is correct, even if it’s higher.
"We have to deal with that, we have to fight with that. As always I am a big fan to support this organisation, no doubt.”
“It’s a situation in 2012 or 2013, I was still in Barcelona, most of the people running that are not here now, but of course I would not like it. What I like is to represent a club who do things properly [and] well. It’s not about winning the Champions League and the Premier League, we want to do well for our people and our fans.”
Guardiola also took the time to discuss Man City's recent heartbreaking Champions League exit. The Citizens had lead their semi-final tie against Real Madrid comfortably on a number of occasions - holding a two-goal advantage four times - but succumbed to two added-time goals at the Santiago Bernabeu, before losing in extra time.
"The Champions League is so attractive and the emotion it brings. The people say the Champions League or Premier League, but both are awesome.
“I am jealous of the emotions Madrid fans had after our game because it’s like, wow. It's like Sergio Aguero scoring after 93 mins and 20 seconds. “For Sergio, I wasn’t here then but I saw the clips, a decade ago, and think what a moment.
"We are fighting for the last three or four years with this team in the Premier League and we are there again which is fantastic.”
Source : 90min