Guardiola breaks his silence and leads Manchester City's revolt against the historic guilty verdict
The return of the saviour
At a defining moment in Manchester City's history, the legend decided to return. Pep Guardiola could not bear to watch his ship sink from afar, so he volunteered to lead the Citizens' public response to the verdict convicting them of breaching financial rules, just hours before the decisive clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
He walked away from the dugout last summer, yet the 55-year-old Spaniard remains the biggest and most respected symbol at the Etihad. The ruling, described as unjust towards the club, convinced him to come home.
A voluntary return to lead the battle
British newspaper "The Sun" revealed that Guardiola knows exactly how far his global influence reaches, and that he had always hoped to take charge of matters the moment the verdict landed. The decision never came. After a long wait, he was forced to leave in the summer.
Since the ruling convicting City on 114 charges, though, Guardiola has released a statement confirming his desire to support his beloved club "every step of the battle". The newspaper says he will arrive in Manchester at midday on Wednesday for direct talks with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and his close friend Ferran Soriano.
Expect to see him in the VIP box alongside Khaldoon Al Mubarak for the Paris Saint-Germain match, a clear message from the club that they are presenting a united and solid front to the world.
There is a touching gesture towards the supporters too. The newspaper confirmed the club has printed special cards bearing the letters "CTID", an abbreviation of "City Till I Die", to be distributed to fans sitting in the Pep Guardiola stand.
An unexpected European alliance
After the match, Guardiola is expected to meet current City manager Enzo Maresca and Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique, before his swift departure from Manchester.
Sources close to Guardiola told the British newspaper he had not been planning to return this quickly. The current situation changed that, and his firm belief in the club's management means he is determined to support them to the end.
City have officially appealed the ruling issued against them, pledging to continue the fight to clear their name.
Europe, it seems, may offer City more support than their rivals in the Premier League. Luis Enrique, Guardiola's former Barcelona team-mate, said before the decisive encounter: "When I first heard the decision, I felt surprised, but we have to respect the procedures and wait for the appeal."
He added: "I hope things go well for Manchester City, because what they produced on the pitch was stunning, and they thoroughly deserved to win the title they achieved."
Captain Ruben Dias insists the dressing room remains united. "I feel I speak on behalf of the entire team when I say we are very calm, we trust the club, and we are focused intently on enjoying football."
