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Rob Dawson, correspondent
Pep Guardiola has said he wants to quickly conclude the hearing into Manchester City’s alleged breaches of Premier League rules.
An independent panel is scheduled to begin taking evidence on September 16.
It is expected to take about two months and the final result will be available by the end of the current campaign.
And Guardiola says he is “glad” that the trial is finally coming to a conclusion after City were sued by the Premier League in February 2023.
“I am happy that it will start soon and hopefully be over soon. This will benefit all of us, especially the club, but also other Premier League clubs and everyone who is not waiting for the verdict,” Guardiola said at a press conference on Friday.
“I wish from the bottom of my heart that there will be a trial, before an independent body – and I say again, an independent body – and that what happened will be made known as soon as possible and we will accept it, as we always have.”
The city was accused of more than 100 financial violations between 2009 and 2018.
The club, which denies any wrongdoing, is also accused of a lack of cooperation in the investigations initiated in December 2018.
Potential punishments range from a fine or points deduction to exclusion from the Premier League, but Guardiola stressed that the hearing and potential consequences will not distract his players.
“No, we’ve been talking about it for three or four years,” he said. “We know it (the hearing) will happen. We accept it and focus on our games.”
