City's Guardiola looking forward to decision on club's alleged rule breaches

MANCHESTER, England : With Manchester City's hearing into their 115 alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules set to begin on Monday, manager Pep Guardiola has said he is looking forward to the decision by an independent commission.

The hearing, which could last about two months with a verdict expected by season's end, starts amid a stretch of six games in two weeks in three competitions for the four-times reigning league champions, who host Brentford on Saturday.

"It starts soon and then (hopefully) finishes soon. An independent panel will decide and I am looking forward to the decision," Guardiola told reporters on Friday.

He said there was no talk among his players about the hearing's potential impact.

"I am not a lawyer. (Striker) Erling (Haaland) is not a lawyer," Guardiola said, adding that City will accept the verdict. "Everyone is innocent until proven guilty."

City's alleged breaches of rules relating to the provision of accurate financial records go back to the 2009-10 campaign.

The club are also charged with failing to comply with rules requiring clubs to follow UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations from the 2013-14 to 2017-18 seasons and failing to follow rules on Profitability and Sustainability from 2015-16 to 2017-18.

City could face penalties such as a points deduction or relegation if found guilty. Everton and Nottingham Forest had points deducted last season for rule breaches.

AKE SIDELINED

Guardiola will be without injured Dutch defender Nathan Ake for the next few weeks, while Haaland may miss Saturday's match at Etihad Stadium for compassionate reasons when City put their 100 per cent league record on the line against the Bees.

Ake was carried off on a stretcher with an apparent hamstring injury in