Manchester City has confirmed the death of club head coach Pep Guardiola’s mother Dolors Sala Carrio due to complications from COVID-19. She was 82 years old and died in Barcelona.

“The Manchester City family are devastated to report the death today of Pep’s mother Dolors Sala Carrio in Manresa, Barcelona after contracting coronavirus,” a statement on the team’s website said. Everyone associated with the club sends their most heartfelt sympathy at this most distressing time to Pep, his family and all their friends.”

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak also offered his condolences to Guardiola in a statement. “Our prayers and heartfelt sympathies are with Pep and his family at this overwhelmingly sad time,” Mubaraka said. “He and they have the love and support of the entire City family.”

Cross-town rivals Manchester United also released a statement showing their support for Guardiola. “Everyone at Manchester United is saddened to hear this terrible news. We send our heartfelt condolences to Pep and his family,” the club tweeted.

Two weeks ago the Spanish-born coach donated €1 million to aid coronavirus relief in Spain, Europe’s second most-infected country with more than 135,000 reported cases and over 13,000 deaths. The money was given to the Barcelona Medical College and the Angel Soler Daniel foundation with a statement that said it would be allocated for “the acquisition of sanitary material during the COVID-19 emergency.”

Manchester City Football Club’s CEO Ferran Soriano is speaking out after the club was banned by UEFA for two years and fined €30 million Friday for violating Financial Fair Play rules. The reigning Premier League Champions claim their innocent and intend to appeal the ruling that they provided false information regarding their Etihad sponsorship.

“Based on our experience and our perception this seems to be less about justice and more about politics,” Soriano told the club’s website in a video. He continued, “Of course a lot of people come now and say: ‘Well what were you expecting? This is the way it works. You should have expected a negative outcome the way the system is designed.’ But we didn’t believe that.

“We worked very hard. We provided the evidence but in the end this FFP investigatory chamber relied more on out-of-context stolen emails than all the other evidence we provided of what actually happened and I think it is normal that we feel like we feel.”

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He later added, “The most important thing I have to say today is that the allegations are not true. They are simply not true. The fans can be sure of two things. The first one is that the allegations are false. And the second is that we will do everything that can be done to prove so. We know the fans are supporting us. We can feel it. [City] fans have gone through challenges over the decades. This is just another challenge. We will stick together, we will go through it and we will not let the fans down.”

Soriano also said, “We are looking for an early resolution obviously through a thorough process and a fair process, so my best hope is that this will be finished before the beginning of the summer and until then for us, it is business as usual.”

If the appeal is denied, City faces the possibility of several players leaving for other clubs that are allowed to participate in the prestigious UEFA Champions League. Coach Pep Guardiola is committed to the club despite the prospect of no UEFA play and told Sky Sports, “Look, whatever league we are in, I will still be here. Even if they put us in League Two, I will still be here. This is a time for sticking together.”

Manchester City’s vice-captain David Silva confirms that the 2019-20 season will be his last year in a Citizens’ jersey. The Spaniard will cap off a decade in Manchester after winning four Premier League titles, two FA cups and four league cups.

Manchester City have won the Premier League in back-to-back succession the past two years, and will be seeking to make it a three-peat in Silva’s last year with the club. The attacking midfielder has proven himself time and time again to be one of the most intelligent players on the ball with his knack for bringing his teammates into the flow in the game, and offering dicing passes that destroy the best defenses in Europe. He has played just shy of 400 matches for the clubs and has scored 71 goals.

“He has been one of the greats not only in Spanish football, but in European football as well,” Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola said, according to Mirror. “He has played for 10 years in Manchester and it is not easy to perform in that league for someone with his qualities. He has done incredibly well.”

Silva has thrived under Guardiola for the past three seasons, bringing his “tika-taka” style of play of quick successive passes and dominating the possession he made so famous when he was hired at FC Barcelona.

“He helped me personally, he has helped us a lot in these three years we have been together, Guardiola said, according to Mirror. “We have another year more and I hope we can live another good year together.”

The 33-year-old has not hinted at where he will be playing after this next season, with multiple MLS teams hunting for him, as well as his former Spanish club Valencia or hometown club Las Palmas.

“I would like to do that, but I don’t know,” Silva said, according to Bleacher Report. “Football changes. Who knows? But I would love to finish my career here in Las Palmas. It depends on the team and the players. I cannot come here to play in the second division with this team.”

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Despite where he is heading in the future, he has been a talisman and a serviceman for the blue side of Manchester. He has honed in the most wins of any player for City, as well as assists with 83. Silva was a big part of building the foundation City stands on now, and capping off his tenure with a fifth Premier League trophy in 10 years would be short of legendary.

Even on the verge of signing Rodri, Joao Cancelo, and Angelino, Manchester City are not through making additions to their title-defending squad in the summer transfer window yet.

Pep Guardiola’s squad have leapfrogged rivals Manchester United in the race to sign Leicester City center-back Harry Maguire. Leicester City previously has valued McGuire at £80 million, a price both Manchester clubs refused to consider negotiating. Maguire and the club however apparently have a gentleman’s agreement allowing him to leave the Foxes this summer if he chooses to do so. With Maguire appearing keen on leaving the club, Leicester has lowered his price tag to £65 million, a price that Manchester City seem willing to pay.

City’s rival, Manchester United, have also shown interest in signing the 26-year-old, but they appear to have their work cut out for them. Maguire has made it known that his first choice is to play under Guardiola’s tutelage at Manchester City. To make matters worse, United have reportedly tried to offer Leicester City £45 for Maguire, an offer so low below the Foxes asking point that they have not enough bothered to entertain it.

Guardiola eyes Maguire as a replacement at the club for Vincent Kompany, who left Manchester City for his boyhood club RSC Anderlecht this summer after 11 seasons with Manchester City. Kompany’s leadership and personality will not be easy to replace in City’s dressing room. City probably looks at Maguire as someone who can be a leader for them as well as a first choice center back next to Aymeric Laporte.

The transfer of Riyad Mahrez would be Manchester City’s new record signing. Manchester City’s current record signing is Riyad Mahrez, who they also bought from Leicester City, last summer for £60 million. As Manchester City continues to build a squad capable of winning the UEFA Champions League, there is no doubt that Guardiola has them in a position to win as good as any other club in Europe.

After a month of laboring over his decision, Rodrigo Hernández Cascante —better known as Rodri — finally announced that he intends to leave Atletico Madrid this summer for one of Europe’s other top football clubs.

The Spanish international central midfielder joined the La Liga side just one season ago after playing three seasons for the Villareal senior team. Rodri made his way up the ladder as a young prospect playing in the Atletico Madrid youth academy from 2007-2013. Atletico decided though to release the 17-year-old due to a “lack of physical strength.” Rodri then joined the Villareal academy, where he eventually found himself as a regular with the senior team before being sold back to Atletico in 2018 for 20 million euros ($22.4 million)

In 47 appearances across all competition this season with Los Rojiblancos, Rodri finished with three goals and one assist. Rodri has particularly excelled as a defensive midfielder for Diego Simeone‘s side, so much in fact that the 22-year-old’s transfer value is now estimated at somewhere between 70 and 80 million euros ($78-89 million). Several of Europe’s top clubs including Manchester City, PSG, Manchester United and Bayern Munich have been watching Rodri closely, especially Manchester City, who continue to search for Fernandhino’s eventual successor.

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Of the teams in pursuit of Rodri, Manchester City and Bayern Munich are considered to be the two favorites to land the defensive midfielder, with City being in the pole position to secure his signature. Manchester City’s manager Pep Guardiola identified Rodri as City’s top transfer target back in April and has played an important role in attempting to secure Rodri’s signature. Guardiola sees Rodri as Manchester City’s version of Sergio Busquets and is desperate to secure him as Fernandhino’s successor.

Former Real Madrid defensive midfielder Luis Milla believes that Rodri would be a perfect match for Guardiola’s play-style, telling Goal that, “Rodri could fit perfectly at Manchester City because his coach [Simeone] has an Ajax and Barcelona style and looks for the same idea of play. Manchester City has a coach [Pep Guardiola] who was influenced at Barcelona. Rodri has the ability to play that way. We are talking about players with the capability of reading football quickly. They understand what to do in each moment, they are intelligent, they never lose their position, they play a positional game.”

Juventus announced this week that Dani Alves will be released from the final year of his contract, and now the Brazilian defender has sparked speculation that he may transfer to Manchester City by lauding the English club’s manager, Pep Guardiola.

Dani Alves Had One Year Left on Two-Year Deal with Juventus

Alves, 34, signed a two-year deal with Juventus last summer after spending eight years with Barcelona, but the Italian champions’ chief executive Beppe Marotta said the team has agreed to let the Brazilian go on a free transfer.

Guardiola was Alves’ coach at Barcelona from 2008 to 2012, and according to ESPN FC, the Spanish manager also wishes to reunite with his former pupil.

“Everyone knows my admiration for Pep Guardiola – he is a great coach,” Alves told Brazilian TV show Conversa com Bial when asked if City would be his next destination. “I don’t know what is happening. I have left the work to my agents in Italy and they have said they would talk to me once they find a resolution on the contract.

“If I go, it will be without any conflicts, without any problems, as opposed to what is being said.”

In his one season with Juventus, Alves helped lead the Italian club to the Serie A and the Coppa Italia titles. Juventus lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League final this month.

Marotta emphasized in an interview with Italian publication Tuttosport that the Brazilian’s exit from Juventus was not due to a deterioration of the relationship between Alves and the club. 

“We’re not talking about a breakdown in the relationship, it’s motivation that is fundamental for players,” Marotta said. “Alves has realized he has a desire to try a new experience, so we’re trying to reach a mutual termination of his contract and we wish him good luck,” he said. “There’s certainly sadness because of what’s been said, but I can confirm there’s been no breakdown in our relationship.”

Guardiola has been looking to add a right-back to his team since Bacary Sagna and Pablo Zabaleta left because their contracts expired this summer.

Chelsea, the Premier League winners, have also been rumored to be interested in Alves. However, City is believed to be the Brazilian’s more likely destination.

Alves may not be the only right-back to join Guardiola’s club this summer. Tottenham Hotspur’s Kyle Walker has also been tied to a move to City, although no official agreement has yet been reached.

MONACO – MAY 03: Dani Alves of Juventus in action during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between AS Monaco v Juventus at Stade Louis II on May 3, 2017 in Monaco, Monaco. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Cesc Fabregas has revealed, fresh off Chelsea’s Premier League title victory, what he believes makes Antonio Conte unique compared to other English club managers like Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola: his greater emphasis on strategy.

Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas Praises Antonio Conte

“Conte is something else,” Fabregas told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser. “We have run a lot this season, lots of gym work and sprints. We did very well, the team was phenomenal physically. There is a lot of pressure to go up and down (the field).”

The 30-year-old Catalan midfielder, who scored Chelsea’s game-winner in Monday’s 4-3 victory over Watford, continued praising the Italian for his attention to detail.

“He is the coach who worked the most tactically, more than with Mourinho and Guardiola,” said Fabregas, who joined the Blues in 2014 from Barcelona. “We have to take into account that this year we have not had to play in the Champions League, something that will not happen next season.

“Conte is meticulous. Until everything is done, training is not finished.”

Fabregas played under current Manchester City boss Guardiola for one season at Barcelona, from 2011-2012. The midfielder then became a member of Mourinho’s Chelsea squad one year after the Portuguese manager came to Stamford Bridge in 2013 following a three-year stint at Real Madrid. Mourinho left to join Manchester United in 2016 and Conte took over the Blues after two seasons of serving as head coach of Italy’s national team and manager of several Italian league teams (Juventus, Siena, Arezzo) before that.

After Chelsea’s home victory at Watford on Monday, there was a fireworks display at Stamford Bridge. The Blues are set to carry the Premier league trophy when they host Sunderland on Sunday.

Fabregas has recorded five goals and 11 assists with Chelsea this season. He also said his teammate Gary Cahill is one of the strongest players on Chelsea’s squad, and emphasized how much time the central defender spends at the gym.

Conte’s team will finish the season on May 27, when they visit Arsenal for the FA Cup final.

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 25: Cesc Fabregas of Chelsea celebrates scoring his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Swansea City at Stamford Bridge on February 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been named the Premier League Manager of the Month for February.

Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola Wins Premier League Manager of the Month

The Spaniard led his team to three victories in as many games, guiding City to their current third place in the league table.

City began the month with a 4-0 win at West Ham, then beat Swansea City 2-1 at home thanks to Gabriel Jesus’s late goal before their 2-0 road victory at Bournemouth.

Guardiola was chosen for the award over Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, Manchester United’s Jose Mourinho and West Brom’s Tony Pulis— whose teams all won twice and tied once in February.

The Spaniard didn’t look particularly thrilled to win the award, and later confirmed this was because he doesn’t see much value in this type of recognition.

“So I understand the business, but with all respect, to be player of the month or manager of the month, believe me, guys, what counts on that? For me it doesn’t matter,” he said.

He also joked that Conte didn’t win the award because he already has so much hardware back home.

“I think Conte’s cupboard is full enough and they couldn’t fit any more in, so they decided to give it to somebody else,” quipped Guardiola.

Chelsea sit in first place of the Premier League table, ten points ahead of City, and Tottenham is second.

City next travel to face Middlesbrough in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup on Saturday, before playing Monaco in the Champions League round of 16 second-leg game on Wednesday. City won the first-leg game 5-3 on Feb. 21.

Guardiola’s team’s next Premier League game is on March 19th, when they host fourth-place Liverpool off the back of Wednesday’s goalless tie at Stoke City.

Caption:BEIJING, CHINA – JULY 17: Head coach Pep Guardiola of Bayern looks on during the a press conference at National Stadium in day 1 of the FC Bayern Audi China Summer Pre-Season Tour on July 17, 2015 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

Manchester City announced on Monday that Bayern Munich head coach Pep Guardiola will take over as manager on a three-year contract beginning next season.

Pep Guardiola To Replace Manuel Pellegrini As Manchester City Manager

Guardiola is set to replace Manuel Pellegrini, who ended a pre-game news conference minutes before City’s announcement by stating that he would be leaving the club at the end of the season.

Guardiola also announced in December that he would be leaving Bayern at the end of this season, after three years in charge and after cementing his status as soccer’s most sought-after coach.

Man City has also become a very powerful team. Backed by Abu Dhabi cash since 2008, the club has been transformed into the most successful in England of recent times, with two league titles and two cup competitions since 2011 and an all-star squad that includes players like Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Yaya Toure and Kevin De Bruyne.

“In recent weeks, (City) has commenced and finalized contractual negotiations with Pep Guardiola to become head coach for the 2016-17 EPL season onwards,” City said in a short statement. “These negotiations were a re-commencement of discussions that were curtailed in 2012.”

That was the same year Guardiola quit Barcelona, and the same year City added two former Barca executives, Ferran Soriano and Txiki Beguiristain — to its board.

With Bayern, Guardiola has gone on to win back-to-back German league titles, the German Cup and both the Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.

Pellegrini could have a chance of being considered City’s most successful manager: he won the Premier League and the League Cup in his first season in charge in 2013, and is in contention for four trophies this season.

Pellegrini claims to have known he was being replaced a month ago.

“There has been a lot of speculation about things,” Pellegrini said, “but they (the club) are not doing anything behind me.”

City has lived in the shadow of neighbor and rival Manchester United for many years, but owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan — a member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family — is changing the landscape of English soccer with his work at City.

Caption: BEIJING, CHINA – JULY 17: Head coach Pep Guardiola of Bayern looks on during the a press conference at National Stadium in day 1 of the FC Bayern Audi China Summer Pre-Season Tour on July 17, 2015 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)