Pep Guardiola stays at Man City

Pep Guardiola will not be leaving Manchester City this summer even if the club is banned from playing in the Champions League.

On Friday, Uefa announced their decision to exclude City from Europe’s premier competition for the next two seasons and fine them €30m after they were found guilty of breaking Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

But as things stand, the two-year Champions League ban is set to begin next season and as well as having huge financial implications for the club, there are suggestions that several players and possibly manager Pep Guardiola may now decide to leave the Etihad Stadium.

However, a report on Sunday from Catalan outlet Sport confirms Guardiola will remain loyal to City and intends to see out his contract at the club, which expires in the summer of 2021.

This coming summer is expected to be an important one for City with Guardiola reportedly hoping to reshape his squad with at least four new signings.

Guardiola’s side face West Ham and Leicester in the Premier League. Right after that on 26 February they will face Real Madrid for their biggest match of the season.

According to The Athletic, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss held a meeting with his players before training on Saturday where he is understood to have told them: “Now, more than ever, we have to show them that we are not money, we are talent.”