LONDON: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he feels critics of the Premier League champions want the club wiped "from the face of the Earth" over their alleged breaches of financial rules.
City, who have dominated English football since Guardiola's arrival in 2016, face a hefty points deduction or even expulsion from the league if found guilty on some or all of the 115 charges relating to financial regulations.
A long-awaited hearing into charges brought by the Premier League in February 2023 finally began at the start of the week.
Guardiola has claimed previously that some of the club's rivals hope to see them found guilty and he appears in no doubt they would expect punishment to be severe.
He brought up the matter unprompted ahead of today's clash with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium while talking about the tendency of people to overly criticise isolated bad performances.
"During a season, you can say, 'Oh, it was a bad season'," said Guardiola.
"But for performances some people say, 'Oh, it's a disgrace, it is a disaster, it's unacceptable'. No, during 90 minutes it's one bad afternoon when they were better.
"But I would say - I'm sorry, I want to defend my club, especially in these modern days when everyone is expecting us not to be relegated, to be disappeared off the face of the Earth, the world - that we have better afternoons than the opponents. That's why we win a lot."
City face 80 breaches of financial rules between 2009 and 2018, plus a further 35 of failing to cooperate with a Premier League investigation.
The club stand accused of failing to provide accurate financial information, including revenue from sponsors and salary details of managers and players.
However, City have vehemently denied any wrongdoing. - AFP