Pep Guardiola spoke to the media on Tuesday for the first time since Manchester City’s ban from UEFA competition was overturned.
City had a two-season ban quashed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday morning.
“I’m incredibly happy about the decision. It shows everything that people said about the club was not true,” Guardiola said.
“Yesterday was a good day for football because we play by the same rules as all the clubs in Europe. If we had broken FFP, we would have been banned but we have to defend ourselves because we were right.
“People said we were cheating and lying and the presumption of innocence was not there. When we were proved right we were incredibly happy because we can defend what we have done on the pitch.”
Guardiola pointed out that while traditionally bigger clubs might not like City’s rise in recent years, they have to accept it.
“I know that for elite clubs like Liverpool, United, Arsenal, it is uncomfortable but they have to understand we deserve to be with them and to be fighting for the achievements that they have achieved in the past.
“We don’t have to ask permission to be there, we deserve to be there.
“Guys, accept it. Sometimes we win, sometimes not but they have to understand it. Don’t whisper and go behind our backs, do it on the pitch.”
The former Barcelona manager also took aim at La Liga President, Javier Tebas who has been a vocal opponent of City's.
“He’s another one, Senor Tebas. He must be so jealous of English football. He’s an incredible legal expert from what I hear, maybe next time I’ll ask them which court and judges we have to go to.
“He has to be worried and concerned about La Liga and focus on there.
“We will be in the Champions League next season, Senor Tebas, because what we did we did it properly.”
The Catalan also said that he would have stayed at City next season even if the ban was upheld.
When asked whether he would stay beyond 2021, he was non-committal.
“One year for a manager is a long, long time. I was happy before and now. We have time to talk about this.
“Maybe I would be able to stay here longer but people cannot understand how difficult it was for everyone as a club being under suspicion. Now we have proven it at the court, we go again on the pitch.”
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