Pep Guardiola aims new dig at critics over Man City's 115 charges and reveals how he feels 'deep in his heart'

Pep Guardiola has aimed a dig at critics of Manchester City while speaking out on the club's upcoming hearing into the 115 Premier League charges.

The hearing into City's alleged breaches of the Premier League's rules is expected to begin on September 16 and will be overseen by an independent panel.

It is set to last around two months, with a final outcome likely to be delivered by the end of the current campaign, according to ESPN.

City have denied any wrongdoing and claim they have "irrefutable evidence" to support their defence.

Some critics of the Premier League champions have called for the club to be handed a harsh punishment if they are found guilty, with fines, points deductions and even relegation touted as potential sanctions.

Guardiola has hit out at those critics who are already calling for City to be punished before the hearing has even commenced.

"I am happy that it starts soon and hopefully it will finish soon, for the benefit of all of us, especially the club but also other Premier League clubs and all the people who don't wait for the sentence," Guardiola told a news conference on Friday, ahead of City's league clash with Ipswich Town on Saturday.

"I wish, from deep in my heart, go to the trial, the independent panel - and I say again, independent panel - and as soon as possible release what happened and we will accept [it] like always we have done."

The Premier League first charged City back in February 2023 on 115 counts of breaching regulations, after initially opening an investigation into the club five years earlier.

The charges relate to a 14-season period from 2009/10 onwards and comprise of various alleged rule breaches, all of which City strenuously deny.

Guardiola has denied the upcoming hearing is a distraction for his players (Image: Getty)

City have been charged with 54 counts of failing to provide accurate information, 14 counts of failing to provide accurate details for player and manager payments, seven counts of breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules (PSR), five counts of failing to comply with UEFA regulations including financial fair play (FFP) and 35 counts of failing to cooperate with Premier League investigations from 2018 onwards.

The club are also currently locked in a separate legal battle with the Premier League over its associated party transaction (APT) rules, with a verdict in that case expected to be announced in the coming days, according to The Times.

Meanwhile, Guardiola has denied that the 115 charges hearing is a distraction for his players as they look to win a fifth consecutive Premier League title this season.

"No, we have been talking about that for three or four years," he said.

"We know it [the hearing] is going to happen. We accept it and focus on our matches."