An internal review revealed that the applications were sent using the names of Guardiola and Xavi without their knowledge or consent. The emails were initially received but were later identified as inauthentic after a verification process.

The All India Football Federation released a statement clarifying the situation, stating that they received an email claiming to be from Guardiola and Xavi, but the authenticity of the applications could not be confirmed. Further investigation revealed that the email was sent by pranksters.