Roy Keane and Ian Wright have both called for Manchester City to be severely punished after the club was found guilty of 114 breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations. An independent panel ruled against City on all but one of the 115 charges brought by top-flight officials, ending a three-year investigation.
Pundits condemn City's conduct
Speaking during ITV's coverage of the Nations League match between England and Spain at Wembley, Keane said: "Well it's about time [the decision was made]. It's obviously been going on a long time now and I certainly would disagree with Rodri's messages there. It was the choice of the club, they chose to cheat, and whatever they have won over the last few years, they deserve to be punished."
He added: "Where we start and finish with that, obviously it's difficult. But they were cheating. Been found guilty of it, they have to take their medicine now. And it was kind of a shock really to be found guilty of...114 of the charges they were found guilty of? Big news it was."
Wright highlights impact on rivals
Wright, also on the ITV panel, said the scandal reflects poorly on English football: "Not very good, not very good. I'm going to be totally honest, Pougs." He referenced Rodri's comments and the experiences City players had, saying: "Going back to Rodri, he's talking about what he's done. He went shoulder to shoulder with the guys, and, of course, you can't take that away from them, they experienced that. But they should take that away from them, they should be punished for it."
Wright continued: "They may have been able to experience those memories and all of those great times together, but then, when you look at all of the teams that were trying to chase them, they were doing it right. It's not right, Pougs. What have we taken from Liverpool's legacy, [Jurgen] Klopp and that team? What could they have experienced? Roy's right, they cheated to get it done, and people have missed out on that. Players have missed out on unbelievable opportunities for themselves. I'm glad that we finally got there."
City chairman maintains innocence
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak issued an open letter to supporters on Saturday, maintaining the club's innocence despite the ruling. He wrote: "I have been part of this Club for 18 years. I have had the privilege to stand with you in the Etihad, at Wembley, and in Istanbul. This Club matters to me, and you have shown and told me – time and time again - how much Manchester City matters to you."
Al Mubarak added: "Following Friday's media reporting, many of you will have spent your evening answering questions and responding to messages from friends, family and colleagues. So have I. Here's what I said to my family: The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the Club's innocence is just as strong as when this began."
The chairman noted the legal process remains confidential and said the club's statement from Friday and one issued in February 2023 "every word matters and holds true." He concluded: "We have faced challenges together before and have prevailed. There remain many who want to undermine the momentum of our Club. We will not give them that opportunity."
City are set to challenge the ruling, with Al Mubarak pointing to upcoming fixtures at Anfield and a Champions League match against Paris St Germain as moments to celebrate the club's strength.
