Pep Guardiola to leave Manchester City? 'Pep-xit' talk dismissed as 'bulls***' after Champions League ban

Future uncertain | Pep Guardiola has been desperate to win the Champions League with Manchester City
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Questions about Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City future have been dismissed as “bulls***.”

Sources close to the Catalan have responded to speculation over his position after the Premier League champions were handed a two-year ban from European competition.

Guardiola’s plans were already the source of uncertainty as he approaches the final year of his contract at the Etihad.

He has insisted publicly and privately that he will honour his deal. But confirmation on Friday night that City have been found guilty of “serious breaches” of Financial Fair Play (FFP) throws that into fresh doubt.

For now sources have moved to stamp out any talk of him quitting, describing it as “bulls***.”

But the debate is set to rage on - especially given Guardiola’s obsession with the Champions League.

Juventus will have already been alerted to his potential availability.

City have vowed to fight Uefa’s ban and are making plans to take their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

They remain convinced the sensational ruling will be overturned, but as yet do not know if an appeal would delay the ban, which will take effect from the start of next season.

City issued a strongly-worded statement on Friday night and are convinced the process was prejudiced.

Despite always maintaining their innocence, they have been working behind the scenes on a potential case for appeal.

They said: “Simply put, this is a case initiated by UEFA, prosecuted by UEFA and judged by UEFA.

"With this prejudicial process now over, the Club will pursue an impartial judgment as quickly as possible and will therefore, in the first instance, commence proceedings with the Court of Arbitration for Sport at the earliest opportunity.”

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