Pep Guardiola has shrugged off the the threat of relegation if Manchester City are found guilty of a multitude of Premier League charges levelled against the club for their financial affairs.
City strenuously deny all allegations and the manager insisted on Friday that the club, which has already escaped a ban after UEFA’s Financial Fair Play investigation, has assured him of their innocence.
“Time will dictate what will happen and just in case we are not innocent we will accept the charges and what the Premier League will decide,” he told reporters.
“But what happens if in the same situation as UEFA happened we are innocent? What happened to restore or payback our damage? Because the damage is now.
“[With UEFA] nine teams were out of the Champions League because they wanted this position. They wanted to take our position out of the Champions League. This situation has absolutely zero difference to the UEFA moment.
“It's the same articles, accusations. You have to go to League One, no not enough... maybe the conference.
“We have been in lower divisions. If we go back there not a problem for us and we will be back, I'm pretty sure, if we go there. But they should wait because in the end it is decided what happens and they didn't wait in the UEFA situation.”
Guardiola, 52, took aim at the response to the long list of charges, which followed a four-year investigation by the Premier League.
“We are already being condemned,” said the Spaniard. “What's happened this week, it’s the same that happened with UEFA - we were condemned, we had an acquisition then, now we have just charges.
“What they told me before, the club proved we were completely innocent. Why should we not think we are innocent? It's just charges rather than acquisition.
“You have to understand the 19 Premier League teams are accusing it without the opportunity to defend [ourselves]. Our people have explained everything from the last three or four years. You know what side I'm on.”
He added: “Another side I would say is we are lucky we live in a marvellous country that we have where everyone is innocent until proven guilty. We didn't have this opportunity... we are already sentenced.”
