Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on February 19, 2020. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP via Getty Images)LINDSEY PARNABY/Getty Images

Pep Guardiola Commits to Manchester City Future After 2-Season UEFA Ban

Rory MarsdenFeb 19, 2020

Pep Guardiola has said he will stay at Manchester City past the end of the season despite their recent UEFA ban.

Speaking after the Sky Blues' 2-0 victory over West Ham United in the Premier League on Wednesday, Guardiola confirmed he will continue at the Etihad Stadium:

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Last week, City were hit with a two-season ban from European club competition and fined €30 million (£25 million):

Per Dan Roan of BBC Sport, City are preparing to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

However, in the aftermath of the announcement of City's ban, it was reported Guardiola could leave the Premier League champions at the end of the season, per Marca.

Guardiola's contract at City runs to the end of next season, and the Spaniard has now made it clear he plans to at least honour that deal.

Wednesday's win over West Ham was the Sky Blues' first match since their ban was announced, and the Etihad faithful made their displeasure clear:

The dissent towards UEFA is likely to be even more obvious next week when City return to UEFA Champions League action for the first leg of their last-16 tie against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Guardiola, 49, has broken numerous records with City as they have won back-to-back Premier League titles, but in his three seasons in Manchester, he has failed to lead them past the quarter-finals in Europe's elite competition.

The Champions League already had added significance for the Sky Blues this term given they have all but lost the league title to Liverpool, and there will now be even greater focus on it as it could be their last European campaign until 2022-23.