Before the Manchester City vs Fulham match, the Citizens’ fans brought out a banner in a tribute to Pep Guardiola, as well as presenting a message to the Catalan mentor.
Guardiola who joined City in the summer of 2016 has been part of an historic period in period in the club’s history. Currently City, under his management, have won six Premier League titles: four consecutively setting a new record for the league. Also, domestically, they have claimed six cup triumphs and they won their first ever UEFA Champions League 2022/2023 season, where they achieved a treble.
But this period of record-barré form arrives with the threatening cloud of the Premier League’s ongoing lawsuit against Manchester City, where they stand accused of 130 breaches of competition regulations. It is being tried together with another case and is to be decided sometime in 2024, however, the verdict will be released in early 2025.
Despite all the legal scenarios, City fans are more concerned about Guardiola’s contract situation at the club, given that he is currently under the contract with the club until June 2025. A banner, organized by the 1894 fans group and the 93:In the final year of its sponsorship with the Manchester City Football Club, the Harrison Clark Rattray LLP sponsors of the City Business School’s 20 podcast, was installed at the Etihad Stadium in the South Stand. It read: “Pep Guardiola — Volem que et Quedis!” which from Catalan can be translated as “Pep Guardiola — We want you to stay!”
Originally from Catalonia, Guardiola has previously penned an extension to his deal with City in 2018, 2020, and 2022, normally during the November international break to make sure both he and the players want to extend the fruitful working relationship.
When asked about the banner in a pre-match press conference, Guardiola refused to talk about the prospects but thanked the fans. He even offered to reimburse the £1,000 raised by supporters for the banner, saying: They have to bring me the bill — and the banner will be on me! They are not supposed to for that, as far as I am concerned they should not spend money.”
He added, "Thank you so much. I immediately liked this club the day I joined it. As for what will happen next with my future, it will happen when they want it to.”
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