Following a challenging streak of results, Pep Guardiola leveraged Manchester City’s 115 charges from the Premier League to foster a siege mentality within his team.
A recent behind-the-scenes documentary on City reveals the players’ reactions in the dressing room upon learning about the club facing 115 charges of financial fair play violations by the Premier League.
In the documentary, Guardiola sought to revitalize City’s performance at the start of 2023 and expressed doubts about their ambition to defend their Premier League title.
After a tough period in January and February, City kicked into high gear and swiftly achieved a historic treble.
The documentary also captures a pivotal moment when Guardiola made a crucial pre-game adjustment to capitalize on the Premier League charges before the team’s victory over Aston Villa, which was the first game following the announcement of the charges. However, the documentary provides little new insight into City’s stance.
City reaffirmed the statement they had issued previously, expressing their willingness for an impartial assessment of the evidence to clear their name.
They then aired a video of Guardiola’s defiant press conference a few days later, where he pledged to continue as manager.
But before the Villa match, Guardiola gathered his entire team and backroom staff in a circle around him in the dressing room before kick-off, offering a glimpse into the team’s unity.
Following a series of games where the manager had criticized his players for their attitude, City had recently suffered a defeat to Tottenham. Guardiola now showed his unwavering support for the team and instructed his players to hold a pre-game huddle on the field before delivering an inspiring speech in light of the Premier League charges.
“I need to talk to you. Come on in,” he said. “Firstly, we need to be united before the referee starts the game for every single match moving forward, starting today.
In the center circle, near the opponents and referee, you embrace each other. And someone, anonymous, begins to speak one, two, three, and declares in the eyes that we will win every game, or at least we will give our best effort.
“Secondly, this club is fantastic. Stay grounded for me. They were very supportive during the tough times. I want my fighters. Guys, you will always have my support. My friends and I want to fight for this Premier League.
“Now more than ever, I want to fight in this Premier League. Attack and defend each other. All of our victories, guys, have always been on the field. I love the club. I love you all. Come on, let’s do this.”
After winning 14 of the next 15 league games, City did not suffer another defeat until they clinched the league title. Pre-game meetings continued throughout the season and into the current one. City maintains their innocence regarding the accusations.
