Friday 8 March 2019 18:40, UK
Pep Guardiola insists his Manchester City legacy will not be spoiled by UEFA's investigation into whether the club breached Financial Fair Play rules.
European football's governing body announced on Thursday that they have opened a formal investigation into the Premier League champions' financial conduct, amid a series of reports over "systematic" wrongdoing.
German magazine Der Spiegel have led several publications in releasing purportedly "leaked" emails from City officials that claim to show the club deceived UEFA for several years, including with the knowledge of a top UEFA official.
City insist the allegations are "entirely false" and have repeatedly claimed they have been "hacked", but Guardiola insists he "trusts" the club and has welcomed UEFA's intervention.
Asked whether he was concerned that his legacy will be tainted by the allegations, whatever UEFA decides to do, Guardiola, who lifted his first Premier League title last season, said: "No, absolutely not"
Asked whether he is happy with where he and the club both are in relation to the allegations, he said: "Yes, definitely."
"The club is open," Guardiola continued. "Hopefully it can finish as soon as possible and UEFA can decide what they see. I trust a lot what the club has done because I know them."
City host Watford on Saturday sitting top of the Premier League on the same number of games as Liverpool for the first time since December, and Guardiola is hoping to welcome back some key players in the coming weeks.
"All of them are getting better," he said. "Aymeric (Laporte) has trained the last two days but I don't know if he is ready for tomorrow.
"Kevin (De Bruyne) is not fit, nor is John Stones, but the other ones are okay."
