Pep Guardiola has gone seven games without a win (Image: Manchester City FC)
Pep Guardiola has brushed off Liverpool boss Arne Slot's comments about Manchester City's financial burdens with a tongue-in-cheek retort.
Slot joked on Tuesday about Mo Salah's potential final home game against City: “Maybe Mo knows more about the 115 [charges] so he doesn't expect them to be in the Premier League next season.”
He then clarified: “I expect them to be in the Premier League. It was a joke! I repeat: it was a joke.”
Man City are currently embroiled in a high-stakes legal battle with the Premier League over accusations of financial irregularities involving 115 breaches.
If found guilty, City could be relegated from England's top tier, although they categorically deny all claims made against them.
Arne Slot made the joke during his Liverpool press conference (Image: Liverpool FC)
With the matter set to overshadow the 2024/25 season and no resolution expected until perhaps the end of 2025, the appeals threaten to extend this period even further.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Guardiola rebuffed any provocation over Slot's jokes in his pre-match briefing for Wednesday's encounter against Nottingham Forest, saying: “It was a joke. He said it was a joke, wasn't it? It was a joke.”
Guardiola is under pressure as City are currently on a seven-match winless streak and trail Liverpool by 11 points in the title race.
Guardiola has been visibly frustrated on the touchline in recent weeks and made headlines at Anfield on Sunday when he raised six fingers to the crowd, signifying the number of Premier League titles he has won.
Asked if he had lost his cool, Guardiola replied: “We won six, yes. I was never cool. Do you know why I was cool? Because we won.
“If you ever win, it's so cool, it's so beautiful, it's so nice. When you don't win, it's completely the opposite. But it's the same.”
His actions are reminiscent of Jose Mourinho, who held up three fingers while managing Manchester United, marking the start of his downfall at the club.
Guardiola commented: “I don't hope in my case. Maybe we are similar to José, but he won three and I won six! We are together in these situations.
“It was just to make our fans feel that what we have done is extraordinary. I want to prove that we are an incredible football club. Sooner or later it will be the end but I will try to prolong as much as possible to the best in my club.”
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1984504/Pep-Guardiola-Arne-Slot-Man-City-115-charges